Satellite Remote Sensing – An Appropriate Technology Solution for the Region. Deanesh Ramsewak, Remote Sensing Officer, Institute of Marine Affairs, Trinidad and Tobago. First Regional Meeting on Appropriate Technology, UTT Pt. Lisas Campus April 8 th 2008.

Climate Change We are all familiar with the rhetoric on Climate Change. The media are full of statements, concerns, guesses, and speculation about the phenomenon, as scientists and policy-makers around the world struggle to manage its impacts. The need to derive strategies to mitigate or adapt to a changing world is ever present. With this need comes the subsequent need for large amounts of reliable data upon which we can develop these strategies. This need for data has led to the design of efficient and cost effective methods of large scale data gathering. Remote Sensing is one such technique

Remote Sensing (RS) Remote sensing is the act of monitoring changes in an object or feature using a sensor without direct contact between the sensor and object. Common RS Applications : land cover mapping and analysis, land use mapping, agricultural plant health monitoring water resources, wildlife ecology, disaster management, geologic and soil mapping, coastal resource management, military surveillance, and many more.

Global Warming Trends Mean Surface Temperature for January 1979 Prevailing wind patterns over the world’s oceans (NASA, 2007)

Global Temperature Anomalies (NASA, 2007)

Recent Forecasts for Global Warming Under current trends the temperature rise will be somewhat greater (more than 1 °C) than the last 50 years (NASA, 2007)

Regional Focus The trends illustrated previously were derived from remote sensing data. In July 2004 a TeraScan 1.5 m L-Band system for satellite data reception and processing was acquired. We in the Caribbean therefore, have access to the same technology and thus regional studies can be done. Remote Sensing System at the IMA

Terascan Research Parameters: Sea Surface Temperatures, NDVI (Vegetation Index), Wind Vector, SST Composite, August 24, 2004 (AVHRR)

Terascan Research Clouds, GP Height, Dew point, Relative & Specific Humidity

Acquisition of a More Advanced System Increased number of parameters to be acquired MODIS X-band system Spatial resolution = 250 metres

An Appropriate Technology Benefits of Using remote sensing Technology : 1. Enables continuous acquisition of data 2. Helps to receive up-to-date information (real time for Terascan) 3. Offers wide regional coverage. 4. Offers accurate data for information and analysis 5. Serves as a large archive of historical data 6. Cost effective 7. Non-Intrusive

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