Pacific Island Countries are generally surrounded by large areas of ocean over which clouds easily build up within the lower atmosphere with increasing altitude. The micro-climate of the moisture-laden lower atmosphere is very inhomogeneous and can distort images captured by optical satellites. An atmospheric correction is therefore important in order to enhance image data. Beginning in 2011, atmospheric correction software has started to incorporate the digital elevation model to reduce relief related atmospheric disturbances.
The Applied Geoscience and Technology Division of SPC is the hub of satellite image data purchase within the region, and the Division also enhances the image data for Pacific users including the application of an atmospheric correction. SOPAC therefore maintains a working relationship with global software developers adjusting software specifically for Pacific conditions.
Currently Geosystems Inc, a provider of geospatial and satellite-based technology in Germany, who is supplying ERDAS image analysis software and add-on atmospheric correction software ATCOR to SOPAC, is now in the process of developing a module to apply atmospheric correction to Thaichote image data. Thaichote (previously named THEOS) is a new satellite from Thailand, of which, SOPAC is the official data distributor for Pacific island states.
SOPAC will initially aquire complete coverage of the Solomon Islands with multi-spectral Thaichote image data utilising USAID funding. An atmospheric correction is essential for this mountainous country.
Dr. Wolf Forstreuter, GIS Specialist at SOPAC commented that, “At the request of SOPAC, geospatial software providers, such as GeoSystems, are developing custom software modules, which enables SOPAC to provide world-class atmospheric correction services for satellite imagery to the Pacific Island countries.”
Caption: Satellite Imagery of Western Viti Levu, Fiji before and after atmospheric correction.
