SPARRSO is the national agency responsible for promoting remote sensing and space technology in Bangladesh. Since the very beginning of its establishment, it has been always active to fulfile its sublime mission in helping facilitating Bangladesh’s sustainable economic and social developments, and has attained remarkable achievements so far. As an inter-governmental body specialized in multilateral cooperation in space technology and applications in Asian Pacific region, the Secretariat of Asia Pacific Multilateral Cooperation in Space Technology and Aopplications (AP-MCSTA) would like to briefly release the SPARRSO’s achievements in its recent researches based and editted on its newsletter sent to the Secretraiat, and share their valuable experiences with our professional fellows as follows.

1. Monitoring cyclone “Akash” using NOAA AVHRR data.

In recent years, SPARRSO has monitored and analyzed the cyclone “Akash” originated in the Bay of Bengal using time series of NOAA AVHRR data acquired at the satellite ground receiving station of the organization. The progressive development of the cyclonic situation and the associated radiative cloud characteristics have ground based meteorological information. Analysis of the series data revealed that the cyclone crossed St. Martin’s Island at about 21:37 BST on May 14, 2007 with a wind speed of about 150 km/hour. The cyclone turned into a depression the next day and ultimately crossed the Bangladesh-Myanmar coastal region on the May 15. During the cyclone at least 30 chars under Kalapara, Galachipa and Dashmina upazilas in Patuakhali Distric were inundated under 5 to 7 feet of water. At least 40 fishmen were missing and 100 of Thatched houses were swept away from the offshore island of St. Martin’s and Moheshkhali.

2. Developing a national drought monitoring system (NDMS) based on remote sensing and GIS techniques

Drought is one of the most important natural hazardous events in Bangladesh that occurs very often, especially in the areas like Barind Tract on a regular seasonal basis. Drought generally delays the agricultutal cultivation and subsequantly reduces crop production. While any food shortage will cause severe social consequences in an over-populated country like Bangladesh. Thus early warning of droughts and their levels of severity become a critical issue for Bangladesh to address. Remote sensing data has been turned out to be a useful approach for solving this problem. Incorporating with some specific factors in Bangladesh’s environment, geography and topography, SPARRSO has been carrying out a research to develope a National Drought Monitoring System(NDMS) based on remote sensing, GIS and climate data. Early warning and evaluation of current drought intensity are the main objectives of this research, and the core of the research is to establish a set of appropriate drought index applicable in the context of Bangladesh.

3. Prawn, fish and paddy cultures in Shrimp Farms in South-western Bangladesh

The shrimp farming activities in the south-western coastal region of Bangladesh was investigated using remmote sensing and GIS. The information collected during the field data phase was employed for the site suitability analysis using remote sensing and GIS. A total of seven shrimp farms located in Dehbata Upazila of Satkhira Distric in the south-western Bangladesh were suveyed with a view to assess their shrimp farming practices between November 2004 and January 2006. Information on the physical properties, farming systems, productions, costs and prices of the different species in different shrimp farms were collected by semi-structured interview using questionaries. Water salinity was found to increase gradually from November to May.

The study shows that the shrimp, prawn, fish and paddy were cultured respectively between Feb. and July, April and November, July and December, and August to next January respectively every year. While their productivities in the eastern side of the study area are much higher than the ones in the western side, and thus more profitable as well. But meanwhile, some of the shrimp farms in both sides were affected by white spot disease which will result in quite low production of shrimp.

4. Cold wave passed over Bangladesh: a satellite based radiative characterization

Fog is a natural weather phenomenon that usually occurs in Bangladesh during winter time, and generally causes a passage of cold wave over the country with a significant drop in temperature. Satellite platform provides a powerful means of monitoring such natural event by virture of its large coverage and synoptic viewing capability. Using satellite images acquired in the visible and infrared region of the solar spectrum, SPARRSO has monitored one of such events this year and the images showed appreciable sensitivity to the fog presence, properties and spatial distribution in the atomosphere. It is observed that such effects resulted in a dual impact on the digital satellite images: a systematic increase in data value in the visible region and an appreciable reduction in image contrast. The shape of the cold wave and its directional movement pattern were very much visible and well-defined in the satellite image and were monitored temporally. Satellite-derived wave pattern coupled with in situ temperature measurements provided evidences on the possible temperature variability over the area and its underlying mechanism. While the analysis of data provided an indication of the origin and aerial extent of the wave. The case study involved the north and north-western corners of the country, along the south-southeastern direction, and ultimately extended over the whole Bangladesh except few districts.

5. Development of A GIS Framework for Analysis of Flood Data

SPARRSO has a long experience of monitoring, mapping and analyzing flood in Bangladesh since 1984. It has successfully processed and utilized the NOAA AVHRR images for retriving valuable information on nation-wide flood in 1988 and later years, and provided them to the relevant governmental departments and NGOs for policy-making and generating rescue solutions. Recently SPARRSO has undertaken an important research work to develop a nation-wide operational methodology using integrated remote sensing and GIS for addressing the phenomenon of flood and assessing the related risk issues in the country. A basic part of the research work is to develop a GIS framework for analyzing flood –relevant data so that during a flood event all revelant data can be then analyzed based on a pre-defined schedule. To realize this goal, a GIS framework will be developed first on a pilot basis, tested using flood data of 1998 and 2004, and then extended to the whole country if the framework turns out applicable.