SPC Geoscience Division

More than two years ago we published the last Pacific Islands GIS/RS Newsletter. Now, we have a new team and will publish in regular intervals again. During the last few years changes have happened in the world of GIS and RS application as new type of data is available and also new software and hardware to handle it.

Essential is the new quality of space borne image data where satellites like WorldView-1, GeoEye and WorldView-2 have increased their geo-accuracy due to more precise position capture during data recording through enhanced on board GPS and star tracker.

Also the spatial resolution of these optical range satellites has further increased just that this is not delivered outside US. The increased radiometric resolution allows better stratification of vegetation; data of WorldView-2 now covers eight spectral bands where three visible and one near infrared was the norm before.