NMA has installed and developed its own system of reception, storage and treatment of satellite images of high temporal resolution.
Initially, with ECOFORCE - Research and Development partnership a reception system of storage and treatment of satellite images NOAA and METEOR series was installed at NMA. The system has an antenna POLAR ORBITER TURNSTYLE with an interval pre-amplyfier and a reception sheet QUORUM installed in a PC type equipment.
Later, with a partnership with the Army Ministery, NMA installed a satellite image reception system which has a mobile antenna, and sheets to connect to a PC equipment, QUORUM, capable to receive HRPT images of up to 6 satellites of NOAA series, with all five bands. The received images in this system are being treated by the Imagine software (ERDAS 8.2).
Finally, still with the same partnership an antenna TERASCAN was installed, linking to a work station with its own software for treatement and visualization of images. It is more portable system and more sophisticated than the earlier ones.
NMA is the first Embrapa research unity to have its own high temporal resolution system of satellite images reception.
The antennas are operational and can receive daily images of 8 diferent satellites. The received images cover almost the whole South America.
These systems will enhance the vegetation monitoring of areas affected by grasshoper pests in Mato Grosso, which is already being studied based on LANDSAT satellite.
The daily and early morning termic behavior of landscape unities are also being studied in the Southeastern region to enhance agro-climatic zonings, specially for expansion of new cultures, such as rubber, "pupunha" and apple trees.
The systems and stored images, are also being used in the pedagogic form to show visitors and USP and UNICAMP trainees.
The responsable team for this systems: Evaristo E. de Miranda and Carlos F. A. Paniago.
