Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-15-1978
Abstract
The immensity, remoteness and inaccessibility of deserts make difficult their detailed study by conventional means. Space platforms provide a unigue opportunity to study and monitor the dasert environ- ment, especially because deserts must be studied on a regional basis and because clinatic conditions favor their observation and photo- graphy from Earth orbit The Space Shuttle program will allow the acquisition of mapping quality photographs of world deserts in the early 1980's. This will be done using the Large Format Camera, which will obtain color, stereo and high resolution photographs. In addition, space age technology can remedy the scarcity of neteorological data on the desert environment. Automated stations can be placed in remote areas to collect the necassary data and beam them to orbiting satellites. The latter can in turn re-transmit the data from orbit to receiving stations on the ground for analysis and sythesis Monitoring the deserts from space in this way will help us better understand and utilize more of the land area of the Earth for the benefit of mankind.
Recommended Citation
El-Baz, Farouk. 1979. "Monitoring the desert environment from space." In Advances of Desert and Arid Land Technology and Development. Bishay, A. and McGinnes, W. G., editors. 383–398. London and New York: Harwood Academic Publishers. 1