Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (CAS)
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| Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (CAS) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (CAS) |
| Native name | 中国科学院遥感与数字地球研究所 |
| Established | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Beijing |
| Parent organization | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (CAS) is a research institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences focused on remote sensing, geospatial intelligence, and digital earth modeling. The institute integrates staff from predecessor organizations and collaborates with international bodies to support applications in environmental monitoring, urban planning, disaster management, and natural resource assessment. It maintains partnerships with universities, research centers, and agencies across Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and Oceania.
History
The institute was formed through consolidation involving institutes within the Chinese Academy of Sciences, drawing heritage from entities associated with the National Remote Sensing Center of China, Beijing Normal University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Wuhan University, and Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research. Early milestones referenced interactions with organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Group on Earth Observations, Committee on Earth Observation Satellites, European Space Agency, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Foundational events linked to initiatives like the Global Change Research Program, Five-Year Plan (China), Belt and Road Initiative, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and collaborations with institutions such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Geological Survey of Canada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Indian Space Research Organisation shaped the institute’s trajectory. The institute’s timeline includes cooperative projects with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization, and participation in conferences hosted by International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society, and American Geophysical Union.
Mission and Research Areas
The institute advances remote sensing science and digital earth technologies, supporting programs associated with the Ministry of Science and Technology (China), Ministry of Natural Resources (China), Ministry of Ecology and Environment (China), and agencies like the China Meteorological Administration and State Oceanic Administration. Research domains span satellite remote sensing linked to platforms such as Gaofen, Sentinel, Landsat, MODIS, and TerraSAR-X; geospatial information systems akin to work at Esri partners and standards from Open Geospatial Consortium; earth system modeling associated with centers like the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, National Center for Atmospheric Research, and Met Office Hadley Centre; and applications in sectors referenced by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (China), Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (China), China Geological Survey, and China National Space Administration. Interdisciplinary ties connect to institutes such as the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (CAS), Institute of Oceanology (CAS), Institute of Botany (CAS), Institute of Zoology (CAS), and Institute of Remote Sensing Applications (CAS).
Organizational Structure and Leadership
Governance aligns with leadership models in organizations like the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with advisory boards linked to entities such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Academia Sinica, Royal Society, National Science Foundation, European Research Council, and International Council for Science. Internal divisions mirror departments at institutions such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière, and Geoscience Australia, featuring laboratories, centers, and units focused on earth observation, data assimilation, geoinformatics, and application development. Leadership engagement includes exchanges with figures and offices from United Nations Environment Programme, World Meteorological Organization, International Telecommunication Union, and research collaborators associated with Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, Stanford University, University of Tokyo, ETH Zurich, University of Cape Town, and Australian National University.
Facilities and Infrastructure
Physical and computing infrastructure references comparable resources at National Supercomputing Center, China National Grid, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and satellite ground stations akin to those operated by Beijing Aerospace Control Center, European Space Operations Centre, and National Remote Sensing Centre of India. Laboratories include facilities for sensor calibration related to missions by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, radiometric testing like those at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and geodetic observatories similar to International GNSS Service stations. The institute maintains data centers and cloud platforms interoperable with systems from Google Earth Engine, Copernicus Programme, USGS EarthExplorer, and archives comparable to PANGEA (data publisher). Field infrastructure supports campaigns in regions such as the Himalayas, Yellow River Basin, Yangtze River Delta, Tibetan Plateau, and collaboration sites including Sahara Desert, Amazon Basin, Arctic, and Antarctic stations.
Major Projects and Collaborations
Notable initiatives include work supporting national satellite programs like Gaofen and international projects similar to Sentinel and Landsat partnerships, collaborative networks with Group on Earth Observations, joint ventures with European Space Agency programs, and bilateral projects involving NASA, JAXA, ISRO, Roscosmos, Canadian Space Agency, and Australian Space Agency. The institute participates in monitoring efforts tied to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity, Ramsar Convention, Paris Agreement, and disaster response collaborations with International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and United Nations Satellite Centre. Large-scale projects align with initiatives from World Resources Institute, Conservation International, Global Environment Facility, and regional development banks.
Publications and Data Products
The institute publishes in journals and outlets such as Remote Sensing of Environment, International Journal of Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Nature Communications, Science Advances, Geophysical Research Letters, and regional Chinese journals administered by Chinese Academy of Sciences Publishing House. Data products include high-resolution imagery, land cover maps, time-series datasets, and model outputs comparable to products from Copernicus Land Monitoring Service, MODIS Land, GlobeLand30, and Global Forest Watch. The institute contributes to standards and protocols in coordination with Open Geospatial Consortium, Committee on Earth Observation Satellites, and data repositories paralleling PANGAEA and Zenodo.
Awards and Impact on Policy and Society
Recognition parallels awards and honors conferred by bodies like the Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Science and Technology Awards (China), World Meteorological Organization, United Nations, and international societies including IEEE, American Geophysical Union, and International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. The institute’s work influences policy instruments associated with United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Sustainable Development Goals, Belt and Road Initiative policy planning, and national programs led by ministries and commissions including Ministry of Ecology and Environment (China), Ministry of Natural Resources (China), and National Development and Reform Commission. Its products support decision-making for stakeholders such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and regional governments across provinces like Guangdong, Sichuan, Hebei, Jiangsu, and municipalities including Beijing and Shanghai.