Image of INPE Among the Winners of Award of CNPq

Hello reader!

It follows a note published on the day (10/11) in the website of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) informing that Image of the institute among the winners of Photography, Art and Science Award of CNPq.

Duda Falcão

Image of INPE Among the

Winners of Photography, Art

and Science Award of CNPq

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ramon Morais de Freitas, head of the mosaic of satellite images showing biomes and land use and cover in South America, won third place in the category "Special Lenses – Mega Dimension" of the Photography, Art and Science Award of the National Scientific and Technological Development Council (CNPq). The mosaic is a result of the project "MODIS Time Series" of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE).

The image "Interannual Variability of Vegetation Cover in South America" was drawn from a set of more than 28000 images from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) orbital sensor. The original images for the mosaic were obtained from 2000 to 2011 and represent the variability of vegetation cover and land cover and use over the years.

INPE provides MODIS time series for analysis of land use and land cover change, especially for applications in environmental and agricultural monitoring. The data is available on www.dsr.inpe.br/laf/series/

"The image identifies different biomes. The shades of yellow represent areas with dense vegetation and little seasonal variation of vegetation, such as Amazon rainforest. In green are the areas with contrast in vegetation or without vegetation cover. Regions with red tones represent huge vegetation change in short periods of time, such as agricultural areas," said Ramon, who has Masters Degree in Remote Sensing and a Ph.D. in Applied Computing for INPE, where he has worked for over 10 years in the Remote Sensing Division.

Guided by Yosio Shimabukuro and Reinaldo Rosa, Ramon collaborates on the project "MODIS Time Series", which is coordinated by the Laboratory of Remote Sensing Applied to Agriculture and Forest of the Remote Sensing Division - INPE.

The Prize

Aiming at the scientific and technological community, the purpose of the Photography, Art and Science Award of CNPq is to foster the production of images within Science, Technology and Innovation thematic as well as offering a new product for the popularization and dissemination of scientific and technological activities in Brazil.

There are six categories: Conventional Lenses - External Ambience, Conventional Lenses - Internal Ambience, Special Lenses - Micro Dimension (magnifying glasses, microscope, and electronic microscope), Special Lenses - Mega Dimension (telescopes, satellite images), Edited Images - Scientific Illustration or Conceptual Picture, and Edited Images - Picture Theme.

This is the second edition of the award, which had its result announced on October 5. The list of winners is on page                                      http://www.cnpq.br/web/guest/noticiasviews/-/journal_content/56_INSTANCE_a6MO/10157/568984

Source: WebSite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE)