Usage Experience and Capabilities of the VEGA-Science System

Abstract

Currently, when satellite data volumes grow rapidly and exceed petabyte values and their quality provides reliable analysis of long-term time series, traditional data handling methods assuming local storage and processing may be impossible to implement for small or distributed research teams. Thus, new methods based on modern web technologies providing access to very large distributed data archives are gaining increasing importance. Furthermore, these new data handling solutions should provide not just access but also analysis and processing features, similar to desktop solutions. This paper describes the VEGA-Science web GIS—an open-access novel tool for satellite data processing and analysis. The overview of its architecture and basic technical components is given, but most attention is paid to examples of actual system application for various applied and research tasks. In addition, an overview of projects using the system is given to illustrate its versatility and further development directions are considered.

A Novel Method of Boreal Zone Reforestation/Afforestation Estimation Using PALSAR-1,2 and Landsat-5,8 Data

“…An analysis of these data (as of 2015) showed the difference in results due to the different spatial resolutions of MODIS (250 m) and Landsat (30 m) data. Similar work using MODIS, Landsat-5,8, and Sentinel-2 data has also been conducted in Russia [9,10,12]. This is relevant given the large areas of boreal forests in Siberia.…”

“…In [10], optical data from Russian satellites Kanopus-V, Resurs-P, Meteor-M, Electro-L, and Arktika-M series are also used for the assessment of areal forest changes [9,10,12]. Generally, such an approach that involves optical data [9][10][11][12] actually shows a change in the projective cover of forest vegetation, which is associated with the reflection of solar radiation from its overstory. However, changes in the aboveground biomass of trunks and branches are not taken into account in this case.…”

“…The BAP procedure was implemented in 2021 in Google Earth Engine (GEE), and the code is openly available [20]. Since these works [17][18][19][20][21][22] also involve Landsat data similar to [9][10][11][12], the main shortcoming of this method is its inability to remotely assess changes in the aboveground biomass volume.…”

“…-Multispectral optical imagery analysis methods (including online and cloud-based ones) to assess the species composition and projective forest cover, including to detect cutting, reveal various anomalies based on spectral characteristics, etc. [9][10][11][12][17][18][19]; -Polarimetry and interferometry radar data analysis methods, mostly L-bands, to assess aboveground forest vegetation biomass, forest canopy height, etc. [13][14][15]; -Combined optical and microwave data use methods for a comprehensive analysis of forest parameters [16].…”

“…Along with the above methods' shortcomings listed in [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19], most of the methods (except for [17][18][19]) involve significant satellite data archives, computational resources, and appropriate software. Moreover, state-of-the-art research suggests that the results of a global assessment should be publicly accessible via the Internet and reproducible by other researchers.…”