Tuesday, 28 August 2007 - 10:50 AM
2.A.B-3
The Applicability of Topographic Mapping in Antarctica with the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS)
Richard D. Sanchez, Jerry L. Mullins, and Alton Echols. DOI, USGS, Reston, VA 20192
Summary Antarctica is not completely covered with topographic maps and the majority of the existing ones are small scale maps produced 20 or more years ago. Successfully launched on January 24, 2006, the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) has three sensors. One in particular, the Panchromatic Remote-Sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM) at 2.5-meter spatial resolution, has the potential of collecting stereo imagery for topographic mapping at scales up to 1:25,000 with little or no image identifiable ground control points because of an advanced attitude and orbit control subsystem supported by an on-board dual-frequency Global Positioning System (GPS). A crucial issue to the ALOS stereo mapping capability is the accuracy, scale, consistency, and speed achievable. To address these questions, ALOS data of Ellsworth Mountain Range and other selected Antarctic regions are examined to assess its potential for topographic mapping.