AUSCOPE proposal
Australian ASTER hyperSpectral Geoscience E-Resource
(AASGER)
Background
There is an emerging requirement for a national web-delivery system designed
specifically for precompetitive geoscience information products generated from a new
generation of “mineral mapping” airborne and satellite data. Currently, large area
airborne HyMap hyperspectral (126 spectral bands) surveys (~100 Gigabytes of raw
data) have been collected by PIRSA, NSWDMR, GSWA and QGS with smaller
surveys collected by GSV, NTGS and MRT. Unfortunately, there has been no
coordination amongst these government geosurvey data regards data formats,
archiving, derived geoscience product standards, information access protocols and
pricing, which have lessened their impact for the exploration industry. Similarly,
satellite ASTER multispectral (14 spectral bands) image data is now available for the
Australian continent (~6500 scenes) with most of the government geological surveys
holding their own raw data archives, though the official national archive is held by
Geoscience Australia (in agreement with the international suppliers of these satellite
data). Large area ASTER mosaics of derived geoscience products have been
generated by different agencies (e.g. pmd*CRC and CSIRO) for areas like Broken
Hill, Mount Isa and the Eastern Goldfields, though inconsistent products standards
and data delivery mechanisms have also confused the market place and hampered
their value/uptake.
Impact
 Similar to other national precompetitive data, national coordination in the
delivery of airborne and satellite data and derived geoscience information
products will provide improved uptake and value generated by the exploration
industry in Australia.
It will also make Australia more attractive
internationally because these new precompetitive geoscience data will have
national products standards designed specifically to meet the challenges of the
Australian environment (e.g. extensive regolith) and are expected to set
international standards as no similar system has been developed elsewhere;
 Web accessible surface mineralogy provides important layer for other
applications such as soil mapping, water catchment hight modelling,
vegetation studies and carbon accounting;
 Surface mineral mapping can be integrated with subsurface ANVCL mineral
mapping data generating 3D mineralogy of the Australian continent; and
 A successful delivery system ideally will be suitable to handle the next
generation of airborne and satellite data, including full-spectrum airborne
systems (e.g. ARES) and satellite-borne hyperspectral sensors (EnMap,
Hyper-X).
Components
HyMap
ASTER
Inputs
Outputs
Stakeholders
Currently 25 mineral
abundance and mineral
chemistry products for
the Qld surveys (~12
GBytes)
(www.em.csiro.au/NG
MM), generated from
~1 Terabyte of raw data
(radiance and
reflectance)
Currently 15 products
for the Mount Isa survey
from 140 mosaiced
scenes. Australian
coverage will take
~6500 scenes.
ECW, JPG
2000
GeoTIFF
BIL, BSQ
Government
Geosurveys,
CSIRO, HyVista
Corporation,
DLR, NASA,
ERSDAC
ECW,
JPG2000
GeoTIFF
BIL, BSQ
Government
Geosurveys,
CSIRO,
C3DMM/CET,
MDU, HyVista
Corporation,
DLR, NASA,
ERSDAC
Field sample
VNIR-SWIR reflectance ASCII,
Government
validation data (ASD, PIMA), X-Ray
SILK and/or Geosurveys,
diffraction (+ mineral
XLS format. CSIRO,
interpretation), X-Ray
C3DMM/CET,
Fluorescence oxideJPG
MDU, HyVista
chemistry, EMprobe.
Corporation,
Field photos.
DLR, NASA,
ERSDAC
Metadata and Technical reports,
XLS, MS
Government
other
research papers,
Word
Geosurveys,
documentation spreadsheets of
documents, CSIRO,
interpreted
open text
C3DMM/CET,
mineralogy/geology,
MDU, HyVista
sample locality
Corporation,
information, forum chat
DLR, NASA,
page
ERSDAC
2.5D mineral
Mineral maps merged
ECW,
Government
maps (+DEM) with high resolution
JPG2000
Geosurveys,
DEMS generated from
GeoTIFF
CSIRO, HyVista
SRTM, ASTER, aerial
BIL, BSQ
Corporation, WA
photography
State government
C3DMM
3D mineral
Hylogger™ reflectance ECW,
Government
maps (+
and derived mineral
JPG2000
Geosurveys,
ANVCL)
products, integrated
GeoTIFF
CSIRO,
with surface data to
BIL, BSQ,
C3DMM/CET,
produce 3D mineral
BIP
MDU,
volumes
Additional
clients
Mineral
exploration
industry,
service,
AGO,
IUSS,
Mineral
exploration
industry,
service,
AGO,
IUSS,
Mineral
exploration
industry,
service,
AGO,
IUSS,
Mineral
exploration
industry,
service,
AGO,
IUSS,
Mineral
exploration
industry,
service,
AGO,
IUSS,
Mineral
exploration
industry,
service,
AGO,
IUSS,
Tasks
Level 1 – Web page established: 1st October 2008
ASSGER web page/portal comprising a “Google” map of Australia with the location
of current government airborne remote sensing survey coverage. In addition, the
capability to download (ftp pull) processed imagery as well as related reports and
meta data (info sheets etc…). Test download data set: currently available Mount Isa
ASTER/HyMap/field/lab geoscience products (www.em.csiro.au/NGMM). At this
stage, all data to reside on ARRC IVEC facility
Level 2 – Image zoom/cut and Z-profile : December 2008
Web interactive “Google” roam, zoom and cut/extract image facility. Interactive Zprofile spectral profiler linked to cursor image position. Field sample data/photo
pop-up window (view field photos and other JPEGS) and related search/download
facility (e.g. find me sites where there all PIMA spectra of white mica with
wavelength of >2220 nm).
Level 3a – National airborne hyperspectral collection and distributed data
archive (December 2008)
Approvals sought and gained from all State geosurveys and HyVista Corporation to
include their existing pre-competitive airborne hyperspectral data onto the single
national AASGER portal.
AASGER designed to handle the “large volume”
distributed radiance/reflectance data archive (Z-profile capability) based at the
respective geosurveys with derived “small volume” geoscience surface products
located at ARRC IVEC (?). If not practical then a copy of all data to be kept at IVEC
but with the strategy to establish distributed data network within XX months/years
(?). Data links to other National portals including the ASRIS soil map of Australia
(http://www.asris.csiro.au/index_ie.html).
Level 3b – National satellite ASTER geoscience product database (timing
dependent on funding/resources)
ASTER derived geoscience products from across Australia generated using agreed
standards for processing by available people resources located at the geosurveys with
suitable porting facility established for inclusion in AASGER.
Proposal for an
ASTER geology maps of Australia submitted to Government Chief Geologists for
agreement and resource allocation.
Level 4 – 2.5D visualisation and integration : June 2009
Interactive variable topographic surface viewing with selectable merging/draping of
available mineral maps as well as published geology and magnetics/radiometrics.
Links with National Geoscience Portal.
Level 5 – 3D visualisation and integration : December 2009
Interactive 3D visualisation of Hylogger drill string mineral maps and topographic
constrained (2.5) surface mineral maps at appropriate spectral/spatial resolution.
Ability to interpolate 3D volumes (e.g. using Leapfrog?) and output 3D raster
“floating point” data (?) as well ass other desirable formats.
Level 6 – Modelling : December 2009
Many types of modelling from “Weights of Evidence” through to thermodynamic
reactive transport possible but potentially not practical. Simple “find me all areas
that comprise these attributes” functionality would be useful. Can be extended to
incorporate “lithogeochemical modelling” interoperability (http://www.ioglobal.net/).
Full reactive transport in 3D online expected to be further down the track.
Level 7 – Australia hyperspectral satellite geoscience portal : simulated data July
2010, actual June 2012.
Links to international web servers/archives including GEOGRID (Japan), USGS
PDAAC). For example, if data are not found on GA archive then search in USGS
PDAAC. Or Japanese exploration company can enter Japanese GEOGRID site to
search (in Japanese) for Australian AASGER products/information.
Outcomes
Providing a web server of geoscience product locality information would be valuable
for promoting uptake by national and potentially international clients. Value-added
processed spectral datasets and related products are currently disparate and not
coherently advertised or located. The AASGER web server would be a fast delivery
method for new datasets and also a site to promote Australia science and collaborative
research.
ASSGER would produce a new layer of pre-competitive geoscience data for the
national archive. Explorers, academic and government users alike would have access
to the latest tools to understand and map the surface and its mineralogy. Being
delivered over the web makes accessible surface mineralogy provides important layer
for other applications such as soil mapping, water catchment hight modelling,
vegetation studies and carbon accounting.
Resources needed
People
 web-delivery system
 image processing (ASTER, Hyperspectral)
Software (e.g. Google, IOGAS, Leapfrog, GOCAD. FRACSYS, ENVI, ERMAPPER)
Hardware (e.g. IVEC)
Contact
Dr Thomas Cudahy
Geologist and Group Leader for Minerals and Environmental Sensing
CSIRO Exploration and Mining
Australian Resources Research Centre (ARRC)
Street: 26 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington, WA. Australia, 6151
Postal: PO Box 1130, Bentley. WA, Australia, 6102
phone: 618-6436-8630
mobile: 61-407-662-369
fax: 618-6436-8586
email: thomas.cudahy@csiro.au
http://www.csiro.au/csiro/content/standard/ps16a,,.html