12 categories of ALOS study

1. PRISM / AVNIR-2
  1. To evaluate sensor characteristics of PRISM and AVNIR-2 as well as quality of obtained image data.
  2. Geometric correction and inspection of obtained image data.
  3. To develop high-speed, highly accurate extract method of physical volume.

2. PALSAR

  1. Evaluate sensor characteristics of PRISM and image quality of obtained data.
  2. Geometric correction and inspection, and radiometric correction and inspection of obtained image data.
  3. Efforts to find more advanced analysis method using scattered microwave and SAR interference.

3. DEM Mapping

  1. Develop automatic producing method of DEM.
  2. Develop automatic producing method of Ortho-image for map data.
  3. Develop technology for efficient map update


4. Land Use and Land Cover Research
  1. te land cover categorization.
  2. Monitor changes of land use and vegetation due to urban and housing development


5. Disaster prevention and monitoring
  1. Earthquakes, diastrophism and volcano monitoring
  2. Forests fire, flooding
  3. Landslides, Slope failure, Ground sinking
  4. Oil spill due to tanker accidents
  5. Anticipation towards the disaster above and monitoring the impacts of the disaster

6. Geological features, Mineral Resources
  1. Geological research and mineral resource exploration using integrated PALSAR data into DEM, Ortho-image and data from other satellites.

7. Biological Resources

  1. Understand forests global mapping to analyze circulation mechanism of carbon and vegetation dynamics that play a major role for global warming.
  2. Deforestation for urbanization, firewoods and exportation, human activities such as biomass burning, forests fire, and alteration of forests and grasslands due to natural disaster of drought.
  3. Productivity and growth of farm, grasslands and forests, tree distribution of forests, planting status of farm products, monitoring and estimation of damage by blights and insects

8. Oceanic field
  1. Study on waves, monsoon, coastal current and sea ices.
  2. Figure out ocean dynamics.
  3. Monitoring land deformation due to coastal erosion and accumulation.
  4. Monitoring change of distribution and growth status of coral reef.
  5. Monitoring ocean pollution due to tanker accident or inflows of polluted river water, and study and research the influence on coastal fishery affected by red tide etc.

9. Snow and Ice
  1. Monitor wide range of snow cover and snow water analyzed PALSAR or
    AVNIR-2 data.
  2. Monitoring mountain glacier and distribution and lapse change of draft ice and sea ice.
  3. Understand the ice sheet mass balance and mountain variation in the South Pole.

10. Agriculture

  1. Understand and research on the estimation of changes regarding productivity, growth volume and crops on farm or grassland, and planting status of agricultural products.

11. Water Vapor / Water Resources
  1. Develop algorithms for measuring key parameters for water vapor estimation.
  2. Analyze land deformation and flow change due to soil erosion along the river, or accumulation.
  3. Analyze outflow change utilizing land use, land cover change or DEM.
  4. Analyze water pollution
  5. General water resource management in the areas where there is insufficient available data.

12. Geography
  1. Arrange Geographic Information System (GIS) integrated map data into statistic information.
  2. Study land management to establish arrangement plan and support management for urban facilities such as houses, trains, roads, water services.
  3. Study on the subject that is deeply related to human residing areas such as environment assessment, monitoring climate change in urban areas including heat island phenomenon
  4. Conservation Plan for important heritage
  5. Estimation and prevention strategy towards infectious diseases or parasite worm diseases using vegetation status and soil moisture data.