Test Site/<i>In-Situ</i> Data for Earth Observation in Case of Limited Field Data Access

Abstract

Remote sensing (RS) is the method making possible of observing, recording and collecting of objects or features on the Earth from distant places. There is no direct contact with the investigated objects. It is reflecting radiation scattering from the Earth surface content information in the form of wavelengths in different range of spectrum. Main source of the information comes from satellites forming as space image. A further step of the analyses of space image and interpretation is required in order to extract the useful information from the image. The goal of a remote sensing method is to extract the information that is directly related to a management process creating opportunity efficiently adapted to the data ultimately interested purpose. It provides an impact in wide areas of time management as well as cost and financial resources coordination in the stages of development and implementation. A success of this achievement depends on a successful use of the multilevel data collected from space-borne and the field observation systems. It is necessary to optimize the infrastructure for the data acquisition and analyzing, effectively data processing and integration with further use for decision making. The option of optimization contains adequate instrumentation and better timing and coordination in information collecting and management. There is a limitation in some cases for the investigated area for the field data access. It makes necessary to embrace the need for the field data using indirect way for satisfaction of the space image processing needs. General approach is to use the test site data integrated into the space data for processing. The main purpose of the paper is to recommend how to cover existing gap and limitation in the field data. For this reason, the use of the Test Site/In situ data for fitting of the field data limitation in the space image processing oriented for the Earth observation is demonstrated in this paper. There is one more advantage of offered approach is to use the Test Site/In situ for multilevel data access. The use of a country area with features contenting the main land cover/land use needs for the field data required in the space image processing is recommended. The method of the data collection process with further integration into space data which is necessary part of the space information processing as an evidence of reliability of used technology is described in this paper. The result of offered approach demonstrates the philosophy of using of the Test Site/In situ data which is a vital problem in space data processing. Conclusion of suggested way of problem solving demonstrates exclusion not only lack of field data as well as creating the environment of multilevel data access which makes the increase accuracy of the data processing.