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CONTENTSCEOS Task Force on Planning and Analysis Reports
Activities of Working Group on Calibration and Valldatlon, (WGCV)
CEOS Inventory Interoperability Experlment
The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS): Plan for Space-Based Observations
Analysis of the Great Hanshin Earthquake by Using Satellite Data---This page
Feasibility Study for a CEOS Developing Country Space Information System
The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS):
Plan for Space-Based Observations (continued from page 4)
CEOS Plenary/IAI/Highlight/Calender
Analysis of the Great Hanshin Earthquake by Using Satellite Data
Hiroshi Kikuchi
Earth Observation Planning Department
NASDA (National Space Development Agency of Japan)
Earthquake & Analysis Using Satellite Data
The southern part of Hyogo prefecture and the surrounding area suffered
from the devastating Great Hanshin Earthquake (Fig. 1) at 5:46 a.m. on
January 17, 1995. According to the Meteorological Agency of Japan, the
seismic center was located about 20km below the northern portion of Awajishima
island, and the magnitude was 7.2 on the Richter scale. The intensities
in some affected areas in Kobe city and Awajishima island were evaluated
as 7 on the Japanese scale, which was the highest ever recorded in Japan.
- The damage was most serious. A large number of houses were damaged
by the quake itself and subsequent fires. Many fires swept over the densely
populated areas. Collapsing houses and fires injured many residents, and
the death toll exceeded 5,000.
NASDA and the Committee of Earth Environmental Observation organized a project team to evaluate the usefulness of remote sensing techniques for surveying the earthquake damage. The leader of the team was Prof. T. Sakata of Tokai University, who was the chairman of the Committee. About thirty contributors participated on the team, including scientists, researchers, and engineers in the fields of remote sensing, image processing, earthquake, and geology. These persons came from Tokai University, Geographical Survey Institute (GSI), the Geological Survey of Japan, the U.N. Center for Regional Development (UNCRD), some private enterprises, and so on.
It was the first time a disaster project team was established in cooperation with so many orgaanizations. Owing to the establishment of the team, the data distribution and analyses could be carried out faster and more smoothly.
Various analyses were conducted by the contributors. The recognizability of the damage was examined with respect to a spatial resolution. Processed SPOT/HRV images were interpreted. One of the more useful images was a color composite from both XS and PA (Fig. 2) which was released to the press. Image interpretation revealed slope failures, traces of liquidification and burned areas, but it was difficult to identify collapsed houses and expressways.
Hanshin Area
Simulated images of various resolutions useing an aerophoto indicated
that a resolution of at least 4 meters was necessary to recognize collapsed
beams of elevated expressway. The images were interpreted using advanced
information about the damage. If the satellite images are interpreted without
any information, the recognizability will be less than in these analyses.
The Committee also attempted to evaluate new technology of SAR interferometry.
The Kobe area and the northern part of Awajishima island were examined
by GSI and NASDA (Figs. 3 and 4). These images were also released to the
press. The results fo analyses were compiled, and results were presented
at conferences.
From this experience, the advanced information network system will
be needed to provide the emergent data distribution services.
In conclusion, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to NASA,
NOAA, CNES, SPOT IMAGE, EOSAT, and supporting organizations for their understanding
an cooperation in the emergency observation of the Hanshin area by satellites,
and also to the contributors to the analyses.
Color Composite of HRV XS & PA (Jan.
20, 1995)
Interferometric Stripe of JERS-1/SAR ---Kobe
Area (Sep. 9, 1992 & Feb. 6, 1995)
Interferometric Stripe of JERS-1/SAR ---Northern
Part of Awajishima Island (Sep. 9, 1992 & Feb. 6, 1995)
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