The design of integrated Remote Sensing and geographic information system for natural resources management

The design of integrated Remote Sensing and geographic information system for natural resources management

NIR Nasruddin Mahmood
director Malaysian center for Remote Sensing

Abstract
Agriculture and natural resources based industries is the mainstay of Malaysian economy. National remote sensing programme is formulated with the objective of providing effective management tool for sustained production of these resources and safeguarding is the Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing (MCRS), which provides coordination for activities related to remote sensing.

Facilities provided by MCRS include raster based image processing system (IPS) capable of ingesting satellite and airborne data from different sources including Landsat, SPOT, MOS, SAR and AP; vector-based image graphic station (LGS) for analysis of spatially referenced data derived from digitized maps; PC-based systems to be used mainly for training in both image processing and spatial data analysis, and photographic laboratory for high resolution hard copy outputs. IPS, IGS and PC-based systems are link via network, allowing movement of data from one system to another and their conversion from vector to raster and vice versa for processing and integration. The capability to integrate remote sensing and spatially referenced data based from different sources into geographic information system environment is the unique future of the facilities provided and MCRS.

National Remote Sensing Programme
Agriculture and natural resource based industries are the mainstay of Malaysian economy. National Remote Sensing Programme is formulated with the objective of providing effective management tool for sustained production of these resources and safeguarding the environment. Related to this general objective, two specific objectives of programme are, firstly, to increase local expertise and skill, to acquire necessary equipments and facilities and to purchase and acquire relevant remote sensing data; and secondly, to develop appropriate procedures which could expedite the acquisition of resources information necessary for implementing the Natural Resources Evaluation Programme (NREP) in the country.

The National Remote Sensing Programme is divided into eight major components. They are: (1) establishment of Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing (MCRS), (2) development of trained personnel, (3) acquisition of equipment and facilities, (4) acquisition of appropriate remotely sensed data, (5) identification of research development to support operational use of technology, (6) participation in international programme, (7) undertake activities to promote greater understanding and appreciation of the ethnology in the country, and (8) support wider participation of private sector. Multi sectorial inputs are essential in order to achieve the objectives of NRSP. Great emphasis is therefore given to components of the programme. The relationship between use agencies in the country and the eight components of NRSP is given in fig. 1

Figure 1: Components of National Remote Sensing Programme

The National Remote Sensing Committee of Malaysia is responsible for formulating policies on remote sensing in the country. The committee which is under the chairmanship of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment is comprised of agencies which are involved in collecting and using natural resources data of the country; with the Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing (MCRS) acting as its permanent secretariat. The relationship between the Natural Resources Evaluation Programme (which is identified as one of the two immediate objectives of NRSP), the National Remote Sensing Committee, the User Agencies, and the Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing is given in Fig.2 Specific working groups under the coordination of MCRS and comprised of experts in relevant fields from user agencies fields from user agencies area formed to undertake specific tasks towards fulfilling the objective of the NREP.

Figure 2: Remote Sensing and natural Resources Evalution programme in Malaysia

Malaysian center for Remote Sensing
A Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing (MCRS) has recently been established under the Ministry of Science, Technology and the environment. Among others, the centre functions as: (1) the permanent secretariat to the National Remote Sensing Committee (2) the focal point for implementing National Remote Sensing Programme, and (3) the contact point for regional and international remote sensing activities. In terms of operation, MCRS is divided into four sections, namely User Service, Application and Research, Spatial Data Analysis (GIS), and training. Functional outlines of these sections are given in Fig. 3.

USER SERVICE APPLICATION &
RESEARCH SPATIAL DATA
ANALYSIS TRAINING &
DEV.

Acquire,
process,
store,
disseminate
RS data Provide bureau
services with
in house
facilities Liase with national
mapping &
resources agencies Liase with
international / regional
remote centers

Regular production
of new letters Conduct applied
and
basic research Compile digital
base maps
(DIM, DEM) and
resources data bases Conduct specialists
seminars &
training courses

Achieving and
library services Provide specialist
consultancy
services Integrate RS
and spatial
data bases
into GIS
Figure 3: Functional outline of the Malaysian centre for Remote Sensing

Equipment for MCRS are especially configures for integrating remote sensing and GIS. This integration is the key to operational use of these two technologies for effective management of the natural resources, and thus to realizing the objective of the National Remote Sensing Programme. Accordingly, as indicated in Fig. 4 the configuration of the equipment is divided into four major components. They are Image Processing System (IPS) running on MicroVax II Computer, Geographical Information System (GIS) running on sun workstation, PC-based training facilities for image processing and GIS, and dedicated RS Photographic Laboratory. With the exception of the Photographic Laboratory, all these components are linked via Ethernet networking system, allowing movement of data from one system to another and their conversion from vector to rater and vice versa for processing and integration.

Figure 4: System configuration for Malaysian centre for Remote Sensing

Software architecture for the configuration for is given in Fig. 5 The IPS runs on MERIDIAN software of MDA and it includes Geocoded Image System (GICS). Other than raw satellite data the system also accepts scanned and converted analog-to-digital data and, using Generalized Synthetic Aperture Radar Software (GSAR), also raw radar data. The GIS component consists of Image Graphics System build around Advanced Mapping System of Geovision as core. The system accepts manually digitized thematic maps as input data and is capable of generating plotted maps and graphics as outputs. The software for the PC-based system are meant mainly for training purposes and they are Meridian-PC for image processing and Tydac-SPANS for GIS.

Figure 5: Software architecture

Conclusion
Now the National Remote Sensing Programme has been initiated and the Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing established, there is a definite need to assess progress and the extend to which the objectives are being realised. In this context a proper monitoring and evaluation system is necessary. Formulation of such a system offers many difficulties. Some of the questions which arise are: What is the benchmark? What is the time frame? How do the evaluation exercise quantified? It is hoped that experts gathered at this meeting will help to throw lights in these vital aspects of the Malaysian programme.

Malaysian Center for Remote Sensing
Permanent secretariat to National Remote Sensing Committee Focal Point for implementing National Remote Sensing Programme Contact point for regional/international remote sensing activities.