The Earth Observation Center is a Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) aeronautical research facility located in Hatoyama, Saitama, Japan. It utilizes remote sensing technologies such as satellites to study Earth's environment from outer space. The research done by this center has a substantial impact on the study of the Earth's environmental phenomena, such as global warming.
The Earth Observation Center was established in Hatoyama, Saitama in October 1978 to process data from many satellites in orbit. It was created as a part of the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) Office of Earth Observation Systems. After NASDA merged its operations into JAXA in 2003, the EOC was also absorbed by JAXA. The EOC still exists as an integral component to JAXA's operations in the satellite imagery sector. [1]
The primary function of the EOC is to collect, process, and archive imaging data from satellites in orbit. The EOC then sends the processed data to the Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), which is a center that receives this data and processes it for distribution to researchers and the public. [1] This information is also stored on magnetic tape data storage in the EOC's archives and is converted into simple images which are available to the scientific community (laboratories, universities, governments) as well as to the general public through DVD's. The distribution of this data is used to monitor for environmental disasters as well as educate the world about environmental issues. The ultimate goal of the EOC is to describe Japan's future climate change as well as build upon the remote sensing technologies. [2]
The Earth Observation Center covers an area of 115,000 m2 - spread among a main building and two supplemental buildings. The EOC has many instruments used for high-resolution satellite imagery and the development of sensors for remote sensing satellites. [3] These instruments include four parabolic antenna - two 10 meters, one 11.5 meters, one 13 meters in diameter - spread throughout the EOC campus which each channel data to high-density digital tape recorders for magnetic tape data storage. The EOC can handle 30 camera photos and 30 images from the Synthetic Aperture Radar, a radar that captures images of an object based on the object's relative motion, of the satellite JERS-1. [1]
The EOC has had an impact on the study of contemporary environmental phenomena of Earth including El Niño, Greenhouse Gases, and the cryosphere as well as environmental disasters such as fires, typhoons, and floods.
One of the facets of the environment the EOC is known for analyzing is the study of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The EOC conducted a three-month study for the monitoring of greenhouse gases lasting from January 2009 to March 2009 with the Izuki satellite. The Izuki determined the amount of visible light absorbed by the different levels of Earth's atmosphere. The EOC translated this light absorption data into a chart and determined the change in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration. The EOC will continue to use this satellite to gather light data in order to determine if the amount of atmospheric greenhouse gas is increasing (a root of global warming). [4]
Most of the EOC's study on Earth's cryosphere deals with the ice levels in the world, namely the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice levels.
The facility has conducted a study on Earth's water cycle through a quantitative analysis of Arctic sea ice shrinkage. The Aqua and Shizuku satellites compiled data used by the EOC to quantify the concentration of Arctic sea ice. The EOC determined how much ice melts throughout the course of a year and how global warming has affected the Arctic ice cap. [5]
The EOC has been involved in the analysis of fires - not just in Japan, but all across the Pacific including the United States.
Following the Southern California wildfires of October 2007, the EOC utilized the moisture, temperature, and humidity data of Southern California from the Aqua satellite in order to determine the cause of the fires. The analysis of the data done by the EOC showed that the soil moisture content dropped to very low levels on October 19. The analysis also showed that during the fires, the dry Santa Ana winds blew through Southern California and fueled the raging fires which lasted until early November. [6]
The EOC also performs analysis on the effect flooding has in regions such as Southeast Asia.
During the flood in Thailand from July to December 2011, the EOC gathered images from the satellites Daichi and Izuki and created a graphic that illustrated the withdrawal of flood water from Thailand back into the Gulf of Thailand. This graphic shows that most of the flood water receded during the month of December - effectively ending the Thailand flood. [7]
Many satellites commissioned by JAXA and aeronautical institutions rest of the world share images and data with the EOC. Some of these satellites include: [8]
- Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) was launched by NASDA in August 1996 but was put out-of-order in July 1997 due to structural damage.
- Advanced Earth Observation Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) was launched by NASDA in December 2002 but failed due to a faulty solar panel in October 2003.
- Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) is a satellite launched by JAXA in January 2006. It is used to map terrain in Asia and the Pacific.
- Earth Observing System-PM1 (AQUA) is a multi-national satellite commissioned by America's NASA in May 2002.
- European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS) was the ESA's first Earth-observing satellite and was launched in July 1991.
- Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), also known as Ibuki, is a satellite launched by JAXA in January 2009 and is used to monitor concentration levels of greenhouse gases such as carbon monoxide and methane.
- Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 (JERS-1) was a satellite commissioned by JAXA in 1992 and operated until 1998.
- Land Satellite (LANDSAT) series from the Landsat program is a set of seven satellites commissioned by America's NOAA between 1972 and 1999. These satellites are designed to capture images of Earth.
- Marine Observation Satellite (MOS) was Japan's first observation satellite, it has been inactive since November 1995.
- Satellite Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) was initialized by and is mostly used by the French organization CNES but is also utilized by the EOC.
- Shizuku (satellite) (GCOM-W1) is a satellite launched in May 2012 and is used to observe Earth's water cycle.
- Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite is part of the joint mission between JAXA and NASA designed to monitor and study rainfall.
The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a program of NASA comprising a series of artificial satellite missions and scientific instruments in Earth orbit designed for long-term global observations of the land surface, biosphere, atmosphere, and oceans. Since the early 1970s, NASA has been developing its Earth Observing System, launching a series of Landsat satellites in the decade. Some of the first included passive microwave imaging in 1972 through the Nimbus 5 satellite. Following the launch of various satellite missions, the conception of the program began in the late 1980s and expanded rapidly through the 1990s. Since the inception of the program, it has continued to develop, including; land, sea, radiation and atmosphere. Collected in a system known as EOSDIS, NASA uses this data in order to study the progression and changes in the biosphere of Earth. The main focus of this data collection surrounds climatic science. The program is the centrepiece of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise.
The National Space Development Agency of Japan, or NASDA, was a Japanese national space agency established on October 1, 1969 under the National Space Development Agency Law only for peaceful purposes. Based on the Space Development Program enacted by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), NASDA was responsible for developing satellites and launch vehicles as well as launching and tracking them.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is the Japanese national air and space agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions such as asteroid exploration and possible human exploration of the Moon. Its motto is One JAXA and its corporate slogan is Explore to Realize.
Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), also called Daichi, was a 3810 kg Japanese satellite launched in 2006. After five years of service, the satellite lost power and ceased communication with Earth, but remains in orbit.
Ajisai is a Japanese satellite sponsored by NASDA, launched in 1986 on the maiden flight of the H-I rocket. It is also known as the Experimental Geodetic Satellite (EGS), as it carries the Experimental Geodetic Payload (EGP).
Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), also known as Ibuki, is an Earth observation satellite and the world's first satellite dedicated to greenhouse gas monitoring. It measures the densities of carbon dioxide and methane from 56,000 locations on the Earth's atmosphere. The GOSAT was developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and launched on 23 January 2009, from the Tanegashima Space Center. Japan's Ministry of the Environment, and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) use the data to track gases causing the greenhouse effect, and share the data with NASA and other international scientific organizations.
The N-I or N-1 was a derivative of the American Thor-Delta rocket, produced under license in Japan. The N stood for "Nippon" (Japan). It used a Long Tank Thor first stage, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-designed LE-3 engine on the second stage, and three Castor SRMs. Seven were launched between 1975 and 1982, before it was replaced by the N-II. Six of the seven launches were successful, however on the fifth flight, there was recontact between the satellite and the third stage, which caused the satellite to fail.
Marine Observation Satellite-1 (MOS-1), also known as Momo-1, was Japan's first Earth observation satellite. It was launched on 19 February 1987 on a N-II rocket from Tanegashima Space Center and was operated by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). It is in a polar orbit at roughly 900 km altitude, but was decommissioned on 29 November 1995.
The Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer (USEF) (財団法人無人宇宙実験システム研究開発機構) was a Japanese space agency, which was founded by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1986. Unlike NASDA, ISAS, and NAL, it was not included in the JAXA organization, which was founded in 2003. The chairperson is Ichiro Taniguchi.
Greenhouse gas monitoring is the direct measurement of greenhouse gas emissions and levels. There are several different methods of measuring carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere, including infrared analyzing and manometry. Methane and nitrous oxide are measured by other instruments. Greenhouse gases are measured from space such as by the Orbiting Carbon Observatory and networks of ground stations such as the Integrated Carbon Observation System.
ADEOS II was an Earth observation satellite (EOS) launched by NASDA, with contributions from NASA and CNES, in December 2002. and it was the successor to the 1996 mission ADEOS I. The mission ended in October 2003 after the satellite's solar panels failed.
ADEOS I was an Earth observation satellite launched by NASDA in 1996. The mission's Japanese name, Midori means "green". The mission ended in July 1997 after the satellite sustained structural damage to the solar panel. Its successor, ADEOS II, was launched in 2002. Like the first mission, it ended after less than a year, also following solar panel malfunctions.
The Japanese space program originated in the mid-1950s as a research group led by Hideo Itokawa at the University of Tokyo. The size of the rockets produced gradually increased from under 30 cm (12 in) at the start of the project, to over 15 m (49 ft) by the mid-1960s. The aim of the original research project was to launch a man-made satellite.
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