Asian Conference on Remote Sensing

Asian Conference on Remote Sensing
Name	Asian Conference on Remote Sensing
Abbreviation	ACRS
Discipline	Remote sensing; Geographic Information System? (forbidden common noun — adjust)
Frequency	Annual
First	1980s
Organized by	Asian Association on Remote Sensing

Asian Conference on Remote Sensing is a major regional conference on remote sensing and earth observation that brings together researchers, practitioners, and agencies from across Asia, Oceania, and partner regions. The conference fosters collaboration among institutions such as Asian Association on Remote Sensing, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Indian Space Research Organisation, China National Space Administration, United States Geological Survey, and multinational projects like Group on Earth Observations and Committee on Earth Observation Satellites. Presentations commonly involve satellites like Landsat, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, RADARSAT, TerraSAR-X, and observatories operated by organizations such as European Space Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, China Meteorological Administration, and Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

History

The conference originated in the mid-1980s with founders linked to Asian Association on Remote Sensing, Geological Survey of India, Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, and regional bodies including ASEAN committees and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Early meetings featured collaborations with agencies like NASA, ESA, JAXA, ISRO, CNSA, and research centers such as Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, National Remote Sensing Centre (India), Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Over decades the conference expanded alongside programs such as Global Earth Observation System of Systems, International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, Asian Pacific Remote Sensing Network, and multinational projects including Southeast Asia Regional Carbon Initiative and Borneo RS Network.

Organization and Governance

Governance has typically involved the Asian Association on Remote Sensing executive committee, national chapters from Japan, India, China, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and liaison with international bodies like Group on Earth Observations, Committee on Earth Observation Satellites, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, Food and Agriculture Organization, and World Meteorological Organization. Program committees include representatives from universities such as University of Tokyo, Indian Institute of Technology, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, Seoul National University, and research institutes including National Center for Atmospheric Research, CSIRO, and Pohang University of Science and Technology.

Conferences and Locations

Meetings have been hosted in capitals and scientific centers including Tokyo, New Delhi, Beijing, Seoul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila, Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Taipei, Kathmandu, and Dhaka. Special sessions have been co-located with events such as International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, ISPRS Congress, AGU Fall Meeting, and regional workshops by APEC science forums. Satellite mission teams from Landsat Program, Copernicus Programme, RadarSat Program, Gaofen Series, and private firms like Planet Labs, Maxar Technologies, and Airbus Defence and Space have participated.

Themes and Scientific Scope

Scientific scope covers topics including land cover mapping initiatives led by Global Land Cover Facility, disaster management workflows linked to International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, agricultural monitoring programs coordinated with Food and Agriculture Organization, coastal zone management studies with Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, forest carbon assessment projects tied to REDD+, glaciology research associated with International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, and urban remote sensing collaborations referencing World Urban Forum. Methodological themes include time-series analysis with MODIS and VIIRS datasets, radar interferometry from InSAR campaigns, hyperspectral applications from missions like EnMAP and PRISMA, machine learning approaches used at Google Earth Engine, and SAR polarimetry efforts from ALOS and SAOCOM programs.

Proceedings and Publications

Proceedings have been published in conference series indexed by organizations such as IEEE, ISPRS, Springer, and regional publishers affiliated with Asian Association on Remote Sensing. Selected papers appear in journals including Remote Sensing of Environment, International Journal of Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, and thematic issues curated with editors from University College London, Columbia University, Peking University, and University of Sydney. Datasets and software tools demonstrated at the conference sometimes link to repositories maintained by NASA Earthdata, Copernicus Open Access Hub, USGS EarthExplorer, and research groups at CSIR and NIES.

Participation and Membership

Participants include delegations from national agencies such as ISRO, JAXA, CNSA, KARI, DOST-PHILASTAR? (ensure proper noun), Lands Department of Malaysia, academic delegations from University of Malaya, Chulalongkorn University, Universitas Gadjah Mada, University of the Philippines, and private sector representatives from ASIA Insurance Companies and commercial providers like DigitalGlobe. Membership and attendance span students, early-career researchers from Asian Institute of Technology, senior scientists from Academia Sinica, policy advisers connected to UNESCAP, and technical staff of projects such as Asian Water Cycle Initiative.

Awards and Recognition

The conference recognizes contributions with best paper awards, student paper awards, lifetime achievement recognitions named by Asian Association on Remote Sensing, and special citations coordinated with partners like IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society, ISPRS, Group on Earth Observations, and national academies including Indian National Science Academy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Japan Academy, and Korean Academy of Science and Technology. Recipients have included prominent scientists affiliated with Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Tsinghua University, and international collaborators from NASA, ESA, and CSIRO.

Category:Remote sensing conferences