Hyperspectral Imaging Projects

U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol logo.
U.S Env. Protection Agency logo.
MoRAP logo.
Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Following the accidental or deliberate release of hazardous materials or the dispersion of hazardous materials through a natural or man-made disaster, it is critical to locate, characterize and identify the contamination as quickly as possible. Many substances have a unique spectral signature that can be used for identification. Hyperspectral Imagery, or HSI, sensors have been used for a variety of environmental applications.

Missouri, other states, and federal agencies will soon have access to airborne HSI through the Civil Air Patrol's, also known as CAP, Airborne Real-Time Cueing Hyperspectral Enhanced Reconnaissance, or ARCHER, program. Headquarters CAP National Technology Center is in the process of deploying 16 ARCHER configured aircraft, that will be stationed in CAP regions for Homeland Security, disaster relief, search and rescue, and other “to be defined” missions.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, with a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is pursuing a pilot project to evaluate environmental applications of ARCHER to the department's missions of Environmental Emergency Response, characterizing contamination over wide areas, and assessing other impacts to the environment. This site provides information on the pilot project in three areas, Site Development, HSI Collection and Project Results. The Project time frame ran from Oct. 1, 2004 - Sept. 30, 2005. The EPA Pilot Project notification and overview are below.

Summary of the Project 2005 - 2009

Project to Develop Applications of Hyperspectral Imagery PDF

EPA/MDNR Hyperspectral Imaging Pilot Project

Final Report - Sept. 1, 2004 - Dec. 31, 2005

EPA Pilot Project Notification PDF

Site Development

Hyperspectral Imagery Collection

Project Results

EPA/MDNR Hyperspectral Imaging Project 2007

Final Report - Sept. 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007

Agreement

Memorandum of Understanding (between the Missouri Wing of the Civil Air Patrol and the State of Missouri) PDF