ASTER

ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) is an imaging instrument that is flying on Terra, a satellite launched in December 1999 as part of NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS). ASTER is a cooperative effort between NASA and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Earth Remote Sensing Data Analysis Center (ERSDAC). ASTER will be used to obtain detailed maps of land surface temperature, emissivity, reflectance and elevation. The EOS platforms are part of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, whose goal is to obtain a better understanding of the interactions between the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere.

ASTER Imagery Examples:

Okanagan Mountain Park fire, Nearly 3200 people were ordered from their homes today in the Kelowna area as winds kicked up the huge Okanagan Mountain Park fire in British Columbia. The huge fire, which now covers almost 23,000 hectares, destroyed 238 homes on the southern outskirts of Kelowna about two weeks ago. At one point, nearly 30,000 people were forced out, about one-third of the city’s population. The ASTER image covers an area of 51.5 x 53.8 km, and was acquired September 2, 2003. The image is a simulated true color composite, with the active fires highlighted in red from ASTER’s infrared bands.

Berlin is the capital and the biggest city of Germany. It has a population of about 3.5 million and extends over 889 square kilometers. It is located in central Europe, at the rivers Spree and Havel. Berlin was the capital of Prussia until 1945 and the capital of Germany between 1871 and 1945 and again since the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990. Between 1949 and 1990, it was divided into East Berlin, the capital of the German Democratic Republic, and West Berlin. It was divided by the Berlin Wall (yellow line on image) between August 13, 1961, and November 9, 1989. This simulated natural color ASTER image covers an area of 22.5 x 20.2 km, and was acquired August 22, 2002.

Baghdad, Iraq: The plumes, which originate along major roads and canals, are believed to be burning pools of oil from pipelines. The plumes, which blanket large sections of the city of approximately 5 million, are creating an environmental health hazard for residents of the city and surrounding regions. The image covers an area of 44 by 46 kilometers (27 by 29 miles) at a spatial resolution of 15 meters (49.2 feet). ASTER's broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution are ideally suited for monitoring dynamic environmental conditions caused by natural and human-induced factors.

London, England: For almost 2,000 years, the River Thames has served as the life force of London, capital of the United Kingdom and one of the world’s most famous cities. In AD 43 the Romans established the trading settlement of Londinium at a favorable crossing point on the river. The Romans remained until the 5th century, when the city came under Saxon control. The early 17th century saw enormous growth, but the deadly plague of 1664 and 1665 ravaged the population, and in the following year the Great Fire, which burned for four days, destroyed most of the city. A public transportation system and other city services in the early 19th century eased many of the increasing urban problems of the burgeoning capital of the wealthy British Empire. After coping with the devastating effects of bombing during World War II and the gradual dismantling of the empire, London today thrives as a vital modern metropolis. London is one of 100 cities being studied using ASTER data to map and monitor urban use patterns and growth. This image covers an area of 55.3 x 39.5 km, and was acquired on October 12, 2001.