You have been hired as the remote sensing specialist for mapping several environmental problems in Cairns-Atherton area in northern Queensland. Area consists of remnant tropical rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest and developed areas (residential and agricultural). On lower elevation coastal slopes the forest grades into coastal forest, mangroves and urban (residential, commercial and industrial) areas. The terrain is mountainous, ranging from coastal plains at sea-level through a coastal mountain range and then onto the Atherton tablelands.

You have been asked to outline procedures and imagery needed to do following task:

Invasive weed has started to occur over large sections of the Wet Tropics and local and state governments have set up the taskforce to control its spread. Weed of interest is pond-apple (Annona glabra) which occurs mainly in wetter areas in as the shrub up to 5m high, with the canopy which turns yellow in drier months (Jun-August). One of the key pieces of information required by the taskforce is an up to date map showing location of weed patches which are at least 10,000m2 (100m x 100m, 1ha). Output map is to be presented in the format able to be used in existing GIS of the local and state government management agencies.

Describe how you will use remote sensing to address task, be specific about the types of imagery (including spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions and characteristics), how imagery will be obtained and from whom, and when. Generally describe any ancillary data which would be useful and the type of analyses or procedures which must be performed to complete the task. Your recommendations must be based on trying to complete the task in the efficient and cost effective manner, but you may assume you are not subject to budget limitations.

problem1)

Define the Information Required
• restate problem in your own words
• describe the type environment data are required for

problem2)

Define and Justify the Required RS Data (“Ideal data set”)
• Spatial
• Spectral
• Radiometric
• Temporal

problem3) Justify selection of a commercially available image data set 

problem4) Provide a brief outline of the image processing operations to use for producing the required spatial data.