RESEARCH & SPACE

Since its foundation 1999, ALTAMIRA INFORMATION is collaborating with main international space agencies such as ESA, CNES, DLR, CSA, NASA and JAXA. Collaboration with space agencies includes investigation projects about existing and new SAR missions, but also development of new SAR applications.
In addition, ALTAMIRA INFORMATION is participating in several research programmes at European, national and regional level: EU Framework program, PROFIT (Spain), RTE (France) and CIDEM (Catalonia, Spain).

Some examples are given in the following:

	ESA: PSI continuity between ERS and Envisat missions Development of algorithms for the joint exploitation of ERS and Envisat SAR images for the Stable Point Network (SPN) technique enabling the continuity of the ground deformation measurement independently of the satellite used. See results and more information on the project website.

	ESA: Envisat mission support Development of ASAR ground processor and products ASAR instrument performance assessment Envisat ground segment integration and verification activities ASAR calibration and validation activities

	EADS-CASA: SMOS mission support Contribution to overall mission analysis and operations definition. Support for processor prototype and product development for SMOS mission. Instrument performance analysis including technical studies. Definition of in-flight calibration strategy and commissioning activities.

	JAXA, DLR/ESA, ASI, CSA: Principal Investigator for new SAR missions ALTAMIRA INFORMATION has been selected as Principal Investigator for new SAR missions programmed in 2007 (ALOS, TerraSAR-X, CosmoSkymed, and Radarsat-2). Evaluation of data quality from new satellites for the Stable Point Network (SPN) technique. Radiometric, geometric, and phase quality assessment and data calibration.

	CNES: SAR ambiguity detection and removal Studies of the azimuth ambiguity as a classical artefact of SAR instrument and processing algorithm. Characterisation of azimuth ambiguity behaviour as a function of SAR instrument, acquisition and processing parameters. Development of a tool for automatic azimuth ambiguity detection and removal. Impact for future missions.

	CNES: Urban Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Development of a methodology to generate 3D modelling of urban area with vertical precision of 2 m, using as basis one of the outputs of the Stable Point Network (SPN) technique.

Other projects conducted for space agencies and research projects:

Terrafirma (ESA)
Pan-European ground motion hazard information service to detect and monitor ground movements in relation to building stability, subsidence and ground heave, landslides, seismic activity and engineered excavations .
Still on going, visit http://www.terrafirma.eu.com/.

Maritime traffic (French Transport Ministry)Evaluation of the maritime traffic in the Mediterraen sea with SAR images.

LEWIS Project (European Commission)
Establishment of a system for landslide alerts.
Link to Cordis database.

Techniques for detection of ground movement (CNES)
Studies based on methodology enhacement oriented to the detection of ground movements
Research activities based on the effect separation on the interferometric phase by using a network of stable points.

Satellite based information system on building stability (CIDEM)
Research on a point based InSAR–SPN for the monitoring of tunnelling activity and transport network stability to enhance citizen security in order to detect millimetric displacements in urban and suburban areas.

Assessment of damage in urban areas (CNES)
Assessment of damage in urban environment and surroundings after the 1999 earthquake in Izmit (Turkey).

RESUM Project (French Research Ministry and CNES)
Study of subsidence in built-up and mining areas, assessment of land and construction stability. ALTAMIRA INFORMATION participated with the EEIG KINOA.
More information on http://resum.brgm.fr.

URAMIS Project (ESA)
URAMIS is the abbreviation for URban And MIning Subsidences.
Creation of reliable and accurate surveillance systems with Earth Observation techniques.