Perspective of Current Final Years and Alumni…

Once you find that motivation, apply yourself and attack every problem with a solution-forward approach. Learn continuously, improve consistently, and never let pride get in the way of your learning – to lead properly, one must learn to accept help even from those who they lead.

This is especially true for all of you as the geospatial domain is fast growing, it’s an industry that is booming as we speak So, accept that you will always be learning, no matter how old you are or what position you hold

To end my message, I’d like to add a quote from Steve Jobs that I draw inspiration from to this day: “Stay hungry, stay foolish”!

Hezron Philip Jebakumar, Vice-President, Head Geospatial Risk Insights India, Swiss R

I'm currently working in ESRI, we develop GIS applications and Software The base of curriculum, B E Geoinformatics here at Institute of Remote Sensing (IRS) is GIS, so we learn how to solve real world problems using GIS and Remote Sensing Also, through our lab sessions we learn to handle some GIS and Image Processing software which eventually helps in building a strong CV and standing out in the recruitment process. Even though our syllabus is updated, still it is not enough to survive or shine in the corporate industry

More importance should be given to programming To the current undergrad students, I want to say that expand your knowledge in Information Technology and work on your programming skills So, one advice I would like to give is to learn a programming language other than the one in the curriculum Have a good grasp over it and try to learn to integrate GIS and Machine Learning. Above all, improve your communication skills, as these will help you to mingle as well as shine out of the box at your workspace or even in interviews.

Remote Sensing And Gis In Detecting Forest Fires

~Raaga Tarunya A, 3rd year, BE Geoinforma�cs

Forest fires, also known as wildfires, are uncontrolled fires that occur in forests, grasslands, or other natural areas They can be caused by both natural and human factors, such as lightning strikes, hot and dry weather conditions, intentional or accidental human activities, and other factors They have devastating impacts on ecosystems, wildlife, and communities in and around affected areas They can destroy forests and other vegetation, damage soil quality, and release large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. This emphasizes the importance of detecting and managing fires in real-time to lessen their effects on the environment.

Various techniques are utilized to detect forest fires, which encompass ground stations, airborne mechanisms, and remote sensing systems The ground stations involve human supervision and automatic detection systems on the ground, utilizing cameras installed on buildings and towers Similarly, the airborne method also relies on human monitoring from planes These two methods, however, have limitations in terms of their coverage and costs of the detection and monitoring system. Detecting fires through satellites is more advantageous from both operational and financial viewpoints as it helps to monitor vast areas. Satellite systems provide data at a lower cost and have a higher frequency of data acquisition, which is vital for real-time monitoring of fires.

Remote sensing can be utilized to monitor forest fires through the utilization of polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites. Polar-orbiting satellites such as MODIS, AVHRR, ASTER, and Landsat are used for fire detection and monitoring However, these satellites have limited temporal resolutions, which makes it difficult to detect active fires in real-time In contrast, geostationary satellites such as GOES and MSG are more appropriate for near-real-time fire detection and monitoring These satellites provide continuous data over the same location on Earth within a brief timeframe, making them more suitable for the task

Remote sensing techniques are instrumental in identifying, monitoring, and mapping areas affected by forest fires, and are both cost-effective and time-saving. One way to identify active fires from satellite images is through direct visual methods, with infrared bands proving useful in mapping the burned areas by revealing differences between them and unburned areas. Each feature on Earth has a unique reflectance value, which can aid in detecting forest fires Different techniques, such as Burn Area Index (BAI), Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), and Mid-Infrared Burn Index (MIRBI), are utilized to assess forest fire and burned areas Segmentation methods using ENVI or ArcGIS software, which includes supervised and unsupervised classifications, are also available to assess and map the affected areas

As the amount of multi-resolution remotely sensed imagery and multisource data becomes more accessible, the capacity to produce forest composition and structure maps with accuracy and timeliness will also increase. The forest attribute mapping operational capabilities are progressing and can now accurately reflect forest management scales.

~ Tejasveena R, 3rd year, B.E. Geoinformatics

Remote sensing, which involves the collection of data from a distance using various imaging and sensing technologies, has revolutionized the study of volcanoes in several ways.

Here are some of the ways remote sensing has transformed volcano research:

Monitoring volcanic activity: Remote sensing provides a safe and efficient way to monitor volcanic activity from a distance By using remote sensing techniques such as satellite imagery and thermal sensing, volcanologists can detect changes in volcanic activity, such as changes in temperature and gas emissions.

Mapping and modelling: Remote sensing has enabled researchers to create detailed maps of volcanic features, including the structure of volcanoes, distribution of vent, ash and other substances These maps are used to create 3D models of volcanic structures, which can be used to simulate volcanic eruptions and assess potential hazards

Early warning systems: By monitoring changes in volcanic activity using remote sensing techniques, volcanologists can provide early warnings of potential eruptions This can help to reduce the risk of loss of life and property damage in areas surrounding the active volcano

Identifying hazards: Remote sensing can identify and monitor a range of volcanic hazards, including lava flows, lahars, and pyroclastic flows This information can be used to develop hazard maps and plans for emergency response

An instance of remote sensing being used to study a volcanic eruption is that of the Taal volcano in the Philippines in January 2020 Taal is a complex volcano that is located on an island in a lake, about 50 km south of the capital city of Manila. The phenomenon was characterized by explosive eruptions of lava fountains, and pyroclastic flows. Around 1lakh locals had to be evacuated from the region. Continuous monitoring of the following parameters was carried out using remote sensing:

Volcanic gas measurements: Remote sensing instruments, such as thermal cameras and gas sensors, were used to measure the temperature and composition of the volcanic emissions t o better study the volcano and its potential impacts

Ash plume tracking: Satellite sensors and radar data were used to track the movement of the ash plume from the eruption in order to predict the path of the ash plume and assign appropriate warnings for the local communities

Ground deformation: The dynamics of the volcanic eruption was studied and assessed using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), by measuring ground deformation

Impact assessment: Lastly, satellite imagery and drone footage, were vital in assessing the impacts of the eruption on the environment and human populations so as to implement relief efforts and future rehabilitation and recovery planning

Overall, the use of remote sensing in the study of the Taal volcano eruption highlights the importance of this technology for monitoring volcanic activity and assessing its impacts on the biodiversity and environment of the region. By providing detailed information on the behaviour of the volcano, remote sensing enables authorities to make more informed decisions and take action to protect the affected population.