Keywords: imaging spectrometer, satellite,
remote sensing.
Abstract This paper describes the
development results of the prototype of
China high resolution imaging
spectrometer (C-HRIS). The application
requirements of agriculture, resource
survey and environment monitor and the
corresponding technique parameters are
analyzed. The design and performance of
the optics, optomechanical system, and
electronics are also given. The ground and
in-flight experiment results are presented.
1. Introduction
In the past 20 years, several airborne
imaging spectrometers have been
developed and put into extensive flight
experiments and application researches.
These works have revealed and found
enormous value and potential applications
for remote sensing with high spectral
resolution and fine wavelength sampling.
NASA and ESA have been engaging in the
development of satellite-borne imaging
spectrometer since the middle of 80’s for
expanding the application abilities to global
scale earth observation. According to the
application requirements, imaging
spectrometers are divided into high
resolution (about 1km ground resolution)
and moderate one (about 10m ground
resolution). The MODIS of NASA and the
MERIS of ESA are airborne moderate
imaging spectrometer, and will be launched
in the future.
In the development of high resolution
imaging spectrometer, NASA included a
high resolution imaging spectrometer
(HIRIS) in the early Earth Observing
System (EOS) program. However, the
development of HIRIS was canceled from
the EOS later. Then the instrument is
included in the effective loads of NASA
small satellite programs, carried on by
TRW and renamed hyperspectral Imager
(HSI). Unfortunately, in Aug.1988, one
month after its launch, HSI was dropped
from space.
At present, ESA are developing two
types of high-resolution spectrometer,
HRIS for ENVISAT, and PRISM for the
Explorer.
According to recent reports, Australia
plans to develop high resolution imaging
spectrometer for geology and miner survey.
In USA, there are several high
resolution imaging spectrometer planed to
be developed, such as those for NEMO
(Naval Earth Map Observer), EO-1 satellite,
and HRST satellite.
High resolution imaging spectrometer
has high ground resolution and high
spectral resolution, with 128 spectral
channels. It can detect important ground
characteristics that cannot be detected by
mutilspectral remote sensing instruments. It
can measure all absorption and reflectance
characteristics of ground objects. It has the
capabilities of analyzing components of
solid and liquid object, and diagnosing
physical, chemical, and biological
performance of organism. It can meet the
requirements of fine space observation
sufficiently.
This paper describes the development
results of the prototype of China high
resolution imaging spectrometer (C-HRIS),
and its configuration, performance and
experiment results are presented.
2. Mission requirements and technique
parameters
2.1 Mission requirements
China has a large population, relatively
poor resource, complicated natural
environments, and frequent weather and
geological disaster. With the development
of industry and agriculture, the problems of
environment pollution, ecological change,
and so on, become more and more critical.
In order to maintain a continuous and
stable development of economy, it is
necessary to develop advanced remote
sensing instruments for obtaining the fine
basic data and dynamic change about land,
resource and environment by means of
remote sensing from satellite.
2.1.1. Agriculture
Land resource and utilization:
distribution and changes of land, grass,
forest, sand and bare land, rocky mountain,
glacier, accumulated snow, desert, tidal flat,
marsh, lake, residence area, industry
deposit, road, river, etc..
Soil type: humus content, moisture
content, humidity, salinization and erosion.
Crops and vegetation: crop type, area
growing trend, production; green wave
movement, living being quantity estimation,
forest area, wood storage, plant diseases
and insect pests, foster and renewal, grass
type, production and supported animal
quantity.
2.1.2. Geology and miner survey
Mineral deposit distribution, future
prediction, quality evaluation, storage
estimation of petroleum, gas, coal, black
metals, color metals, nonmetals, etc..
Basic geological information of large
engineering of transportation, waterpower,
mine, earthquake zone, fault zone,
hydrology and hidden troubles.
2.1.3. Offshore and water systems on land
Coastal line, islands, islets, tidal flats,
reefs, estuaries, silt deposition and
diffusion.
Water systems on land, water quality.
