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Geomatics and Remote Sensing

► Measuring a changing Earth

To better monitor and understand Earth system processes and their impacts on human and natural systems, remote sensing and the analysis of geographical information play an increasingly important role in today's world. Remote sensing and geoinformatics are influential and versatile technologies for many fields and applications in society. We develop methods and applications of remote sensing and geomatics at the interface between natural sciences, technology, informatics, and society-relevant applications.

Glacier ice speed

Glacier ice speed from repeat Sentinel-1 radar satellite images, Svalbard (UiO GEO). Background: MODIS image (NASA). Foreground: Sentinel-1 satellite (EU, ESA).

Interested in studying the technologies used in geomatics and remote sensing or their applications?  
► Introductions to the topic are part of our bachelor programs
► Check out our dedicated master program   

About our group

Geomatics includes the collection, management, integration, representation, analysis, modeling, and visualization of geographically-referenced information. We collect data using a range of ground-based, aerial, or space-borne sensors and systems, such as Global Satellite Navigation Systems (GNSS, GPS), unmanned aerial systems ("drones"), or various satellites. We manage and analyze data in geographical information systems (GIS) and a range of own software packages.

We teach general geomatic tools and techniques, and use them in all our research groups, related to environmental studies, Earth's water cycle (ice, water, atmosphere), water resources, Earth surface processes and natural hazards. Examples of such applications are hazards related to slope instability, glacier mapping and change detection, permafrost modeling, snow distribution and landform analysis.

Our project fields in brief:

Image: Snow thickness measurements
Snow thickness measurements.

► Drone lab

   
Image: Visualization of satellite laser footprints
Visualization of satellite laser. footprints

► Air- and space-borne remote sensing of the cryosphere (glaciers, snow, permafrost)

  • Glacier mapping and change detection
  • Elevation and volume changes
  • Glacier flow and rock glacier surface velocities
  • Laser altimetry
  • Machine learning
  • Climate change impacts, glacial water resources and glacier-related hazards
   
Image: Glacier lakes and outburst traces, Bhutan
Glacier lakes and outburst traces, Bhutan.

► Remote sensing of natural hazards

  • Glacier-related hazards (floods, avalanches, surges, etc.)
  • Permafrost-related hazards (slope instability, debris flows, rapid thermokarst, etc.)
  • Landslides
  • Hazard assessment and disaster management
   
Image: SAR interferogram, Austfonna (Svalbard)
SAR interferogram, Austfonna (Svalbard).

► Sythetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and SAR-interferometry

  • DEMs from spaceborne SAR
  • Differential SAR interferometry, persistent scatterer interferometry
  • SAR offset tracking
   
Image: River ice velocities, Alaska
River ice velocities, Alaska.

► Digital photogrammetry and image matching

  • Terrain displacements: algorithms and methods for optical and radar image matching
  • DEM generation, structure-from-motion, elevation changes
  • Applications to glaciers, ice shelves, permafrost, landslides, rivers, etc.
   
image: Average LST; Iceland (MODIS).
Average LST; Iceland (MODIS).

► Remote sensing of Land Surface Temperatures (LST)

  • MODIS LST daily measurements @ 1km resolution worldwide
  • 10 year time series
  • Input for thermal permafrost modeling
   
Image: Global permafrost model
Global permafrost model

► Thermal permafrost models

  • Spatially distributed modeling of ground temperatures based on surface data sets (e.g. air temperature, snow depth)
  • Models of different complexity – Cryogrid 1, 2, 3
  • Model runs on HPC Computing Cluster.
   
Image: ESA Earth Explorer 10 mission Harmony. Illustration: ESA
ESA Earth Explorer 10 mission –Harmony

► Development of sensors and missions

  • Satellite mission development
  • Development of sensor models
  • Sensor development
  • Calibration and validation
Tags: Geomatics, Remote sensing, Geoinformatics, GIS, GPS, Photogrammetry, Geodesi, DEM
Published Oct. 29, 2013 10:09 AM - Last modified Feb. 20, 2024 4:24 PM

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Participants

Detailed list of participants