JAXA’s Earth Observation from Space

For Forest Monitoring

Osamu Ochiai

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

JAXA’s Earth Observation Programs

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National Security

Disaster Risks Management

Climate Change

JAXA’s Earth Observation SatellitesChallenges:

• Continuity and sustainability of earth observation data

• Close collaboration with experts, governments and administrations

ALOS-2/PALSAR-2

Orbit altitude: 628km

Launch: May 24, 2014

Lifetime: 5 years (7 years)

Sensor: Synthetic Aperture Radar

(SAR)

Observation mode: Spotlight

Strip

ScanSAR

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ALOS-2/PALSAR-2

Optical sensor: Landsat-8

SAR acquires cloud-free image!

Radar sensor: PALSAR-2

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Annual Global Forest Maps

PALSAR/PALSAR-2 Global Mosaic

Forest/Non-Forest Map

Resolution = 25mYear = 2007, 08, 09, 10,

2015, 16, 17Polarimetry = HH, HV2009

2009

Resolution = 25mYear = 2007, 08, 09, 10,

2015, 16, 17

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Forest change detection

● Forest● Non-Forest● Deforestation● Reforestation

South America (Brazil)

PALSAR 2010 PALSAR 2015 Change 2010-2015

Global Forest Map

● It detects deforestation more than 5 ha, by change detection usingtwo PALSAR-2 images.

● It provides deforestation information such as its position and area.

● User can download deforestation polygon.

● He can identify illegal activity by GIS analysis using land-use map

or concession map.

Usage of JJ-FAST

What is JJ-FAST

● Early warning of deforestation including illegal activity (every 1.5months).

● Suppression effect can be expected by periodic open information.

Objective of JJ-FAST

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New monitoring system: JJ-FAST

Outline of JJ-FAST

8JICA-JAXA Forest Early Warning System in the Tropics (JJ-FAST)

Released in November 2016!http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/jjfast/

Target countries

Data source ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 (ScanSAR mode)

Target area 77 countries

Update Every 1.5 months

Characteristics

- Global coverage: almost all tropical forests.

- Cloud-cover area observation: even in rain season.

- Fast web-page: forester can use it in the field.

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Outline of JJ-FAST

Feature of Radar Data

Forest: Bright Non-Forest: Dark

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Field survey for validation

Peru

11 User's accuracy = 83.3%

Botswana

Gabon

Effectiveness of JJ-FAST System 12

Watching on Deforestation

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JJ-FAST Improvement in Cambodia

118 deforestation were detected by JJ-FAST.

(2017.10 - 2018.7)

Forest map used for the screening procedure.

(developed from PALSAR-2 image)

Problem: There are many undetected deforestations!

Improvement plan: Parameter adjustment for the detecting algorithm.

Revision of forest map used for screening.

Reducing detection errors.

Small area detection: less than 3 ha.

Future plan

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Field survey in more countries.

Interpretation of high-resolution image.

Feedback report from each country.

Accuracy assessment

Algorithm improvement

Supporting each country’s situation.

Burnt area detection, forest change map,

fusion with existing monitoring system…

Collaboration with other platforms

Practical usage

Focused Countries- Peru- Cambodia- Brazil- Cameroon

Web Comment form

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Future Satellite Plans

JFY2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Launch

Initial C/O

Initial Cal-Val

Product release

Mission operation (5 years) Post-mission operation

ALOS-3

(Optical)

May 24 ALOS-2 (L-SAR)

ALOS-4

(L-SAR)Development

Development Mission operation

(7 years)

Continuous observations successor “Daichi” (ALOS) from 2006 to 2011.

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Sensor LiDAR : 2 beams, 25mφ footprint.

Imager : 5.0m resolution, 3 bands, 1km swath.

Objectives To estimate forest biomass precisely and globally.

To obtain spaceborne LiDAR technology for future missions.

Spaceborne LiDAR: MOLI (2021)

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Thank Youfor your attention !