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Currently, small spacecraft with both optoelectronic and radar imaging equipment are becoming increasingly common. The purpose of the work is to improve the efficiency of preliminary assessment of achievable characteristics of radio surveillance payloads at the initial stages of design of small spacecraft. The paper describes the advantages of using radar imaging equipment, as well as the main trends in its development. The main areas of application of spacecraft with radar of different frequency ranges are given; the advantages of each frequency range are described. The methodology of determining the parameters of the trajectory signal when the platform moves in a circular orbit, taking into account the assumptions associated with estimating the size of the irradiation zone in azimuth is considered. Based on the considered methodology, a program is developed in Python programming language that makes it possible to estimate the length of synthesized aperture, synthesis time and azimuthal resolution of the target equipment on the basis of mass and dimensional characteristics of the antenna and spacecraft orbit parameters. A graphical user interface has been developed for the program which allows the user to interactively vary the initial data for calculation and evaluate the graphical representation of the result. The developed software system can be used for calculation of the main design parameters of small spacecraft with radar imaging equipment at the preliminary design stage.

Prompt receipt of reliable information about the terrain with sufficient detail is one of the main tasks in the fields of national economy, territorial development or research of large territorial units. The multiplicity of error sources in Earth remote sensing materials is due to a number of factors, and the resulting terrain models have a certain degree of generalization, which directly affects the correctness of digital terrain models. This article is devoted to the analysis of existing methods for estimating errors of open digital terrain models in order to increase their accuracy. Correct digital elevation models have a high similarity to reality and can be used in regional studies to determine the morphometric indicators of the territory.

To ensure the proper functioning of Ukraine as a space nation, one of the important factors is the development of domestic legal opinion and legislation on the outlined issue. And if the topic of the formation of space law in Ukraine appears to be more researched, then its direction, such as remote sensing of the Earth from space, requires a more detailed legal analysis and legislative regulation. Evidence of this is the draft Law of Ukraine “On State Regulation in the Field of Earth Remote Sensing,” proposed in 2014, which has not yet been adopted, although its adoption is part of Ukraine’s obligations under the UkraineEU Association Agreement. In such a case, the issue of researching the legal basis of remote sensing of the Earth from space becomes relevant, where the legal nature of this phenomenon is of primary importance.In the course of the conducted scientific research, the following legal features of remote sensing of the Earth from space were proposed: 1) it is a type of information collection based on the method of observation, which is part of such a management function as monitoring; 2) it is the activity on special space systems or their separate elements operation, as well as the accumulation, processing, integration and distribution of relevant data about the Earth; 3) it is a set of space and informational means that are functionally and organizationally interconnected and ensure proper remote sensing of the Earth from space; 4) the main technical means of remote sensing of the Earth are: radars, lidars, laser altimeters, spectrometers, radiometers, accelerometers, rangefinders, echo sounders, scatter meters, etc.; 5) it is a set of legal relations, the object of which is information necessary for the development of many spheres of human activity: meteorology, ecology, nature management, seismology, prevention of emergency situations of natural and man-made origin, agroforestry improvement activities, in the field of security and defense of the country, etc. The subjects of such legal relations are defined as operators, primary subjects of service provision, secondary subjects of service provision, consumers, as well as a set of authorized controlling authorities. The reasons for the emergence of such legal relations, to which the author includes international and domestic normative acts dedicated to the legal regulation of remote sensing of the Earth, are also revealed; 6) it is a comprehensive institution of space law; 7) is an interdisciplinary science that combines scientific developments in the specifics of space meteorology, geodesy, geology, hydrology, oceanology, earth science, etc.

Extremely little attention is paid to the issues of detecting and interpreting of central type structures (CTSs) when conducting remote structural-geological and structural-geomorphological studies. At the same time, in the 1970–1980s, it was proven that CTSs play an important role in the localization of deposits and ore fields. The position of these structures must necessarily be taken into account when solving problems of searching for and predicting mineral resources in the context of metallogenic analysis and reconstruction of the geological history of development of the studied areas. The almost complete absence of results of mass detection and interpreting of CTSs can be explained by the still poorly developed methodology for identifying and analyzing this type of structure. In the present study for the territory of Southeastern Transbaikalia, based on modern geoinformation technologies, the use of remote sensing data (radar topographic survey) of high resolution, the creation of a digital elevation model, and the application of an integrated structural-spatial analysis, an author's approach to detection and interpretation of the CTSs is presented, including in connection with the localization of ore objects of various geological-industrial (geological-genetic) types within the framework of the concept of the formation of mineral systems. A statistical analysis of the CTSs identified in the area was carried out, which made it possible to establish a smooth increase in the number of structures with a decrease in their diameter. It is shown that the spatial maxima of ore mineralization extent within the territory are concentrated on the periphery of large CTSs and in their immediate vicinity. Most of the known large ore objects are confined to the internal areas of structures less than 10 km in diameter. Based on the approach of constructing model sections, it was possible to reconstruct the deep position of magma chambers associated with the identified CTSs, and, thereby, to determine the probable sources of metal-bearing fluids. A close spatial relationship between the identified magma chambers and deep faults has been established. To determine the most favorable sites for the deposition of ore mineralization, based on structural-spatial criteria, which include not only structural elements of the CTSs, but also segments of known fault structures, weight of evidence models of the territory have been created. The accuracy of the complex model is 89%. Thus, in accordance with the concept of mineral systems, the sources, migration pathways, and sites of the most probable deposition of ore mineralization have been reconstructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of the interferometric phase unwrapping in radar remote sensing of Earth systems is considered. Such interferograms are widely used in the problems of creating and updating maps of the relief of the Earth's surface in geodesy, cartography, environmental monitoring, geological, hydrological and glaciological studies, and for monitoring transport communications. Modern radar systems have ultra-high spatial resolution and a wide band, which leads to the need to unwrap large interferograms from several tens of millions of elements. The implementation of calculations by these methods requires a processing time of several days. In this paper, an effective method for equalizing the inverse vortex field for phase unwrapping is proposed, which allows solving a problem with quasi-linear computational complexity depending on the interferogram size and the number of singular points on it. To implement the method, a parallel algorithm for solving the problem on a multi-core processor using OpenMP technology was developed. Numerical experiments on radar data models were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of the algorithm depending on the size of the source data, the density of singular points and the number of processor cores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the urgent tasks of modern agricultural production is the problem of further development of agricultural production on an innovative platform. This will increase labor productivity, save resources, reduce costs, reduce production costs, increase production efficiency and ensure food security of Ukraine, which is one of the largest producers and exporters of wheat, corn, and barley in the world. One of such technologies that can ensure high profitability of agricultural production is the precision farming system. The concept of precision farming is based on the spatial heterogeneity of soil characteristics (relief, soil-forming rocks, snow cover, influence of ground and rainwater, diversity of vegetation cover, the impact of wildlife and human activities, etc.) within one field followed by differential compensation of these differences within one field. One of the key elements of the introduction of precision farming technologies is a differentiated approach to conducting all agricultural operations in the field. At the same time, savings of fuels and lubricants, consumption of seed material, fertilizers, plant protection products, water, the machine and tractor park of the enterprise is more effectively used, and the impact of agriculture on the natural environment is mitigated. The purpose of the research is the technology of precision farming in general, and variable rate seeding (Variable Rate Seeding, VRS) in particular, which allow you to correctly and precisely regulate the rate of sowing agricultural crops, applying fertilizers, plant protection products, irrigation in accordance with the properties of the soil, relief, meteorological conditions and a number of other factors. This allows to optimize the use of agricultural resources for each section of the field and improve plant productivity based on data on soil structure, pH, nutrient elements and yield maps [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the proper functioning of Ukraine as a space nation, one of the important factors is the development of domestic legal opinion and legislation on the outlined issue. And if the topic of the formation of space law in Ukraine appears to be more researched, then its direction, such as remote sensing of the Earth from space, requires a more detailed legal analysis and legislative regulation. Evidence of this is the draft Law of Ukraine "On State Regulation in the Field of Earth Remote Sensing," proposed in 2014, which has not yet been adopted, although its adoption is part of Ukraine's obligations under the Ukraine- EU Association Agreement. In such a case, the issue of researching the legal basis of remote sensing of the Earth from space becomes relevant, where the legal nature of this phenomenon is of primary importance. In the course of the conducted scientific research, the following legal features of remote sensing of the Earth from space were proposed: 1) it is a type of information collection based on the method of observation, which is part of such a management function as monitoring; 2) it is the activity on special space systems or their separate elements operation, as well as the accumulation, processing, integration and distribution of relevant data about the Earth; 3) it is a set of space and informational means that are functionally and organizationally interconnected and ensure proper remote sensing of the Earth from space; 4) the main technical means of remote sensing of the Earth are: radars, lidars, laser altimeters, spectrometers, radiometers, accelerometers, rangefinders, echo sounders, scatter meters, etc.; 5) it is a set of legal relations, the object of which is information necessary for the development of many spheres of human activity: meteorology, ecology, nature management, seismology, prevention of emergency situations of natural and man-made origin, agroforestry improvement activities, in the field of security and defense of the country, etc. The subjects of such legal relations are defined as operators, primary subjects of service provision, secondary subjects of service provision, consumers, as well as a set of authorized controlling authorities. The reasons for the emergence of such legal relations, to which the author includes international and domestic normative acts dedicated to the legal regulation of remote sensing of the Earth, are also revealed; 6) it is a comprehensive institution of space law; 7) is an interdisciplinary science that combines scientific developments in the specifics of space meteorology, geodesy, geology, hydrology, oceanology, earth science, etc. Based on the selected features, the author's definition of the concept of remote sensing of the Earth from space is formulated in the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing of the Earth is now widely used in various fields. One of the challenges of remote sensing is the creation of inexpensive satellite systems operating in polar circular orbits. These systems require the development of a receptiontransmission system that allows tens of gigabits of video information to be transmitted to an earth receiving station within ten minutes. That is, there is a need to create a communication system that provides high speed data transmission from small satellites weighing up to 50 kg. Objective. The aim of the work is to study the features of digital signal formation in modern satellite communication lines and to develop a communication system with a high data transfer rate (usually 300 Mbit/s), which can be applied to small Earth Observation satellites. Method. Proposed concept for building a high-speed data transmitter from a remote sensing earth satellite using commercially available off-the-shelf technology. Calculations of the power flow density created at the input of the receiving earth station were performed to find out the possible power of the on-board transmitter. Results. A diagram of a communication system based on the DVB-S standard using the technology of commercially available off-the-shelf products has been developed. The high-speed data transmitter is implemented on a Xilinx® Zynq Ultrascale+ ™ MPSoC FPGA microchip, which is located on an Enclustra Mercury XU8 module with a high-performance dual 16-bit AD9174 DAC. The on-board transmitter with a power of up to 2 W meets the requirements of the ITU Radio Regulations for the power flux density on the surface of the Earth, which is created by the radiation of the space station EESS in the range 8025–8400 MHz. It is shown that the energy reserve of the communication line of 3 dB is achieved for various commands for coding and modulation changes with an increase in the elevation angle, which allows to increase the speed of information transmission. Conclusions. An original receiving-transmitting system was developed for use in small satellites for remote sensing of the Earth. It is shown that the function of adaptive modeling of ACM of the DVB-S standard allows you to automatically change the transmission parameters in real time depending on the changing conditions of the channel, providing opportunities for more flexible and effective data transmission in various conditions, which will allow to increase the volumes of information transmitted by communication session. The proposed system operates in the X-band and is built using commercially available off-the-shelf products. An antenna with double circular polarization is used as the emitter. Two physical channels represent two polarization modes: right circular polarization and left circular polarization, each of which has three frequency channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the suitability of using multispectral remote sensing data from the Landsat-8 satellite for conducting regional geological and mineralogical mapping of the territory of southeastern Zabaykalsky krai (Russia) under conditions of medium–low mountain relief and continental climate. To increase the spectral information content of Landsat-8 satellite data, statistical processing algorithms are used, including principal component analysis (PCA), minimum noise fraction (MNF), and independent component analysis (ICA). Statistical processing results are compared with the classes of geological materials: minerals of the oxide/hydroxide group containing transitional iron ions (Fe3+ and Fe3+/Fe2+); a group of clay minerals containing Al-OH and Fe, Mg-OH; and minerals containing divalent iron ion (Fe2+) and vegetation cover. Pseudocolor RGB composites are generated and interpreted, reflecting the distribution and multiplication of classes of geological materials. To build a prospectivity scheme for the discovery of the minerals, the integration of informative thematic layers is carried out using a fuzzy logic model. The resulting scheme is compared with geological information, and positive conclusions are made about the suitability of territory for further remote studies on mapping hydrothermally altered zones and hypergenesis products in order to localize areas that are promising for revealing hydrothermal–metasomatic mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design models and algorithms have been developed to estimate the spatial direction of the reorientation of spacecraft for optoelectronic observation of the Earths surface during object shooting, taking into account the relative movement of the surveillance objects in the field of view of the spacecraft. Modeling is simplified due to the choice of such coordinate systems in which the spacecraft is stationary and the surveillance objects move relative to it. The direction of rotation of the spacecraft with a given angular velocity is found at the point of the upcoming intersection of the optical axis of the observation equipment on the Earths surface with the surveillance object moving in the selected coordinate system. The models and algorithms were developed in order to expand the capabilities of Samara Universitys existing software package for evaluating the target indicators and design characteristics of observation spacecraft. Based on the developed re-targeting models, algorithms have been developed for selecting the sequence of shooting observation objects according to the criterion of their maximum number on the orbit of the spacecraft flight and counting the captured objects to assess the performance of survey. An example of the implementation of one of the graphic windows of the software with the developed models and algorithms is given, in which the process of re-targeting the spacecraft is visualized, which is one of the ways to verify the adequacy of the developed models and algorithms.

Background. In modern scientific publications of foreign scientists, the concept of controlling an electromechanical engine-flywheel unit with high-precision feedback on the speed of rotation of the rotor introduced into it is described. Examples of the implementation of this concept in domestic spacecraft do not meet the modern qualitative requirements for the management of highly dynamic vehicles. The purpose of the study is to create a new spacecraft control system based on controlling the rotation speed of the rotor of the electromechanical engine block-flywheel. Materials and methods. Practical tests of a typical number of domestic flywheel engines have been carried out using signal modeling approaches of a complex of testing equipment developed in “VNIIEM Corporation” JC. Results. Based on the tests results, a new prototype of the flywheel engine was created, on the basis of which the main technical characteristics were obtained and the restrictive requirements for the orientation and stabilization of the spacecraft necessary to create a control function for the rotation speed of the rotor of the electromechanical block of the future control system were determined. Conclusions. The created spacecraft control system made it possible to find the optimal target function for controlling the rotation speed of the rotor of the electromechanical unit of the flywheel engine type, which provided an increase in the efficiency indicator for a particular indicator of the accuracy of working out the required speed by more than 12% compared with the presented domestic spacecraft.

Considering the useful properties of peat as an alternative fuel source, a study of the properties of the vegetation and water indices of the red edge, as well as water indices calculated on the basis of spectrometry of ground vegetation cover over peatlands, was conducted. The study was carried out in the Shatsk National Natural Park and at the Bortnychi Aeration Station near the Dnieper River. Experiments in Shatsk National Park were conducted in 2010 using the ASD Field Spec 3FR spectroradiometer with the application of Sentinel-2 satellite images acquired in 2019 and 2021. The vegetation consisted mainly of sedge (Cares riparia), with confirmation of the presence of peat in this area. The experiments were also conducted at the Bortnychi Aeration Station on the left bank of the Dnieper. The vegetation indices such as REP, TCI, and NDVI705 were studied to classify the land cover using the satellite images data. In addition, other vegetation indices were used, such as NDVI, EVI, SIPI, as well as indices indicating moisture and plant photosynthesis. The NDVI and EVI indices provided valuable results for the identification of peatlands. Modified chlorophyll index CLm is calculated for the red edge of the spectrum, similarly to NDVI and EVI. The average value of the REP for the test points in both areas was similar and indicates the possible presence of peatland. The data analysis also confirmed the identity of peatland features in both areas. The high correlation of indices between these territories confirms this identity. Thus, vegetation indices can be used to determine the boundaries of peatlands and identify Carex riparia, which is one of the indicators of peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of geological and geophysical methods was carried out on the Yamal Peninsula in the Arctic in the period 2014–2022. The results were analyzed together with data from remote sensing of the Earth. Fundamentally new data on the gas-dynamic mechanisms of dangerous processes in permafrost have been obtained. These data included catastrophic gas blowouts and explosions with the formation of giant craters. More than three thousand zones of powerful gas blowouts with the formation of craters at the bottom of thermokarst lakes, rivers, and the coast of the Kara Sea have been discovered. According to data on remote sensing of the Earth, large mud volcanic structures, located at the bottom of the Labvarto and Yambuto thermokarst lakes, were discovered on the Yamal Peninsula in 2022–2023 for the first time. Monitoring of their state with the use of retrospective satellite images showed the presence of periodic release of underground fluids, including gas. A conclusion was made about the discovery of active mud volcanoes on the Yamal Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The negative impact of strategic threats to the development of the state in the context of the development of its national security, in particular food, environmental, and socio-economic components, has intensified in the context of Ukraine's geopolitical challenges. This issue has become particularly acute as a result of open military aggression, which makes it necessary to develop and implement a system of information support for decision-making in the field of national security of Ukraine. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to substantiate methodological foundations of information support of decision-making in the field of national security of Ukraine and their implementation within the framework of the created system, which provides for the collection of information, in particular, using space and geographic information systems, and the use of mathematical modelling and situational analysis methods for data processing. In the course of the research, methods of econometric modelling, structural and functional modelling, and spatial analysis were used. A methodological framework has been developed for decision-making support to address the problems of food, environmental, and socio-economic components of national security. A functional model and algorithm of the decision-making process in the field of national security are constructed and, based on the results obtained, a decision-making system in the field of food, environmental, and socio-economic security is developed. In addition, the study formalises the conceptual provisions of the decision-making support process in the field of national security; a procedure for modelling the country's food security indicators is proposed. Based on the proposed methodological approach, it was determined how much the area of crops decreased due to the temporary occupation and military operations, and the post-war state of fields (minelaying, destruction of crops, equipment, etc.), which allowed forming input data for further projecting of indicators of the development of the agricultural sector and food security in Ukraine, the EU, and the world. The proposed methodological provisions, algorithms, models, and the developed system can be used by state authorities to make managerial decisions on the development of policy in the areas of ensuring food, environmental, and socio-economic security of the country

The map of the bottom relief of the Sea of Azov is compiled according to remote sensing data of Earth on the base the information resource Google Earth. Mapping of the bottom relief was carried out on 36»-th network of the absolute bottom marks, which provides a much more detailed display of the relief compared to existing bathymetric maps. The created map reveals important features of the bottom relief of various water areas of the Sea of Azov, interpreted as the consequences of lithodynamic, as well as geotectonic processes.

The subject of the study incorporates the problems and prospects of remote sensing of the Earth, an analysis of the effectiveness of the international legal framework in this area is given in the article.General and special methods of legal analysis were used.The main results of the research include the proof that from a technical point of view, the definition and concept of remote sensing do not cause disagreement among professionals, but it was not possible to achieve consensus on the international legal status of remote sensing. It is not in the main sources of international space law. The Principles of Remote Sensing of 1986 are imperfect and outdated in many respects, although they remain the only universal international document regulating remote sensing, and have not been challenged for more than 30 years. A balance has been established between the interests of states on the main controversial issues, such as the relationship between freedom of space monitoring, state sovereignty and access to remote sensing data.The results are practically significant, as they can serve as the basis for new normative legal acts at the international level, in the long term it is important to further expand cooperation in the field of remote sensing within the UN and other international organizations, conclude regional and bilateral agreements and develop national legislation.The conclusion of the study is that the formation of the legal framework for remote sensing occurs by integrating the norms of "soft laws" into national laws, fixing them in international treaties and, as a consequence, the emergence of norms of customary law and norms of international law.

The largest Au–Ag deposits in the eastern Asian region occur along the borders of cratons and superterranes. Meanwhile, intra-terranean areas host numerous small deposits, the prospecting and exploration of which are complicated by natural factors. The target areas of the Kema Terrane and the Kema Metallogenic Belt (Sikhote–Alin Superterrane, Southeast Russia) stretch along the coast of the Japan Sea to the north from latitude 45 as a part of the Sikhote–Alin Superterrane. The Kema Terrane is an Early Cretaceous back-arc basin, and it is overlain by a volcanic–sedimentary cover that is intruded by now partially eroded Late Cretaceous and Paleogene acidic plutons. This terrane includes epithermal occurrences of Au–Ag mineralization that are related to volcanic uplifts and associated with metasomatically and hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks. Field mapping in this terrane is extremely complicated by dissected relief and dense forest cover. The novelty of this research includes overcoming difficulties in delineating new prospective areas with machine learning and decreasing vegetation effects for prospecting epithermal Au–Ag deposits. The model uses fragmented and incomplete data in combination with field sampling and laboratory analysis of alteration minerals, which accompany Au–Ag mineralization. "Mineral" images derived from directed principal component (DPC) analysis of ASTER bands were used as evidence to complement information on mineral assemblages derived from field sampling. The DPC analysis helped in partial removal of the influence of sparse and moderately dense vegetation on ASTER multispectral data. A mineral occurrence probability map (MOPM) was generated by implementation of the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) method on the DPC-derived "mineral" images. This map delineates discovered deposits not used in model training and reveals previously unknown areas with high mineral occurrence probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of the interferometric phase unwrapping in radar remote sensing of Earth systems is considered. Such interferograms are widely used in the problems of creating and updating maps of the relief of the Earth’s surface in geodesy, cartography, environmental monitoring, geological, hydrological and glaciological studies, and for monitoring transport communications. Modern radar systems have ultra-high spatial resolution and a wide band, which leads to the need to unwrap large interferograms from several tens of millions of elements. The implementation of calculations by these methods requires a processing time of several days. In this paper, an effective method for equalizing the inverse vortex field for phase unwrapping is proposed, which allows solving a problem with quasi-linear computational complexity depending on the interferogram size and the number of singular points on it. To implement the method, a parallel algorithm for solving the problem on a multi-core processor using OpenMP technology was developed. Numerical experiments on radar data models were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of the algorithm depending on the size of the source data, the density of singular points and the number of processor cores.

The conceptual options for small spacecraft on the basis of a unified space platform are analyzed, the areas of rational use of the unified space platform as part of the small spacecraft for solving a wide range of tasks, including monitoring of the Arctic regions, are explored. Methodical approaches are given to ensure the design analysis of circuit solutions of the unified space platform for small spacecraft remote sensing. The actual problem of selecting the standard size of the unified space platform, evaluating the effectiveness of its use, taking into account the necessary modernization for a specific payload, is being investigated. A technique and models for selecting the parameters for the modification of the remote sensing satellites have been developed. The application of the methodology makes it possible to determine the rational parameters for modifying the remote sensing spacecraft, to evaluate the impact of the features of design solutions and external relations on the total costs in the implementation of the project for the creation of the unified space platform. The relevance of research is related to the need to create competitive variants of small-sized spacecraft based on a unified space platform, designed to provide monitoring of high-latitude regions using the small spacecraft system.

The paper considers the problem of a small-spacecraft elastic elements' temperature shock that occurs when the spacecraft immerses into the Earth's shadow or comes out of it. A small spacecraft with two elastic elements is simulated. In the first approximation, such a problem is considered to be a symmetric problem. Estimations of disturbing factors from the temperature shock in a symmetric formulation are obtained. The differences from the results for a small spacecraft with a single elastic element are analyzed. The results of the work can be used for promising small technological spacecraft development, as well as for solving problems of space debris removal and remote sensing of the Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, a variety of information about forest ecosystems can be obtained using remote sensing methods. The use of space data for forest monitoring is cost-effective because it allows you to quickly obtain the objective information needed by foresters to solve practical problems. Satellite data provide wide coverage of forest lands, high accuracy of results, as well as high frequency of data obtained. Space images of the Ovruch district of the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine in the summer of 2020 were selected for the study. Determination of breed composition was carried out by the methods of controlled classification, namely the Bayesian classifier. It was found that 70 % of forests are pine, less aspen, hornbeam, birch, alder and ash tree species. According to statistics, during 2000-2020, 51.4 thousand hectares of forest plantations in Ukraine were damaged and destroyed by forest fires. Therefore, objective and timely information on the consequences of fires is needed to solve a wide range of applied problems of forestry. An important task in assessing the environmental and economic damage caused to forestry as a result of forest fires is to determine the area of damaged forests. The paper considers technologies for determining the area of the forest where the fire took place, using space images of the Landsat 8 satellite. The normalized NBR fire index before and after the fire and the DNBR index are used to identify areas burned by fire and impression levels. To predict forest fires, a mathematical model based on Bayes' theorem was created and a thematic map with fire hazard classes on a quarterly basis was created. To check the accuracy of the results of the created forecast model, the thematic map was combined with a layer of defined fire areas. This software product is quite flexible and versatile, it can be easily adapted for use not only to identify burned forest lands, but also for other areas.

Seismic exploration often demands forest clearing, thus making it important to assess the number of trees that must be cut down as the fieldwork proceeds. We suggest that remote sensing of the Earth’s surface with unmanned aircraft vehicles can be considered as a new approach to solving this problem. To test its validity and potential utility, we installed a laser scanning system and a high-resolution camera on the unmanned aircraft vehicle. The data obtained were used to derive the digital terrain and elevation models of the area under study. The resulting models were processed with the help of a neural network developed as part of this work. They proved to be useful in identifying trees and their classes within the forest sites subjected to clearing. Additionally, a special algorithm was proposed and applied to assess the felling outturn for each tree class taken separately.

The article focuses on the practical implementation of the proposed methodology for managing target information flows in the Earth remote sensing (ERS) space system. Proposed is the description of architecture and order of application of software-mathematical models of the complex, which implements the previously presented model of the arrangement of target information flows and provides the possibility of determining composition and characteristics of the system, that includes satellite, ground receiving complexes and communication channels there between, generation of scenarios of operation with ERS data, generation of input information flows, calculation of the distribution of target information from various types of ERS satellite by components of the ERS space system, visualization of calculation results and preservation of the obtained results. This makes it possible to optimize the distribution of information processing processes according to customer requests, using both scalar and vector criteria, automate the formation of a plan for the distribution of customer requests processing among system nodes, assess the current state of infrastructure in terms of the capabilities of processing customer requests and identify possible problems in the future.

Background. At the present stage of development of engineering and technology, the problem of obtaining information in advance about an approaching natural or manmade disaster in order to prevent it or minimize damage from it is becoming increasingly important. Materials and methods. The article provides a description of the conjunctive model of the state invariant of the control object, with the help of which the control of the dynamics of the vibrational activity of the object is carried out. This control is carried out by the information-measuring control system (IMCS) built into the Earth remote sensing system. Results. A description of the conjunctive model of the invariant of the vibration intensity of a geographically distributed object, designed to assess the state of this object, which is carried out by the IMCS, is given. A substantive analysis of the existing vibration measurement methods has been carried out. It has been substantiated that for the implementation of the claimed approach, the method of estimating the intensity of the vibrational process by analyzing the vibrational blurring of the image of the test segment seems to be the most appropriate. It is substantiated that the round shape of the test segment is the most suitable for solving the problem. A description is given of ways to search for the intensity invariant of the vibrational process, if this invariant is formed during the analysis of the image parameters of a round test segment. An equivalent circuit for substitution of a real vibrational process is proposed. The description of the process of formation of disjunctive and conjunctive traces of vibrational blurring of the image of a round mark is given. The method of mathematical modeling shows a direct relationship between the amplitude of the vibrational displacement of the image of the test segment and the area of the vibrational increment of the conjunctive trace of the vibrational blurring of the image of a round mark. A criterion for assessing the intensity of vibration is formulated. Conclusions. As an estimate of the vibration intensity, a value is taken that is directly proportional to such an amplitude of the rectilinear vibrational movement in the plane of the object, at which the relative vibrational increase in the area of the conjunctive trace of the vibrational blurring of the image of a round mark.

The objects of the research are the objects of monitoring of groups of troops (forces). The relevance of the research lies in the need for a comprehensive analysis of monitoring objects from several sources of information. The results of the analysis show that the most reliable and accurate information comes from aerial monitoring, orbital remote sensing of the Earth and radio monitoring. At the same time, instrumental errors of radio monitoring devices do not allow determining the location of sources of radio radiation with the accuracy necessary for localization (neutralization) of threats. A method of integrating the results of radio monitoring and remote sensing of the Earth has been developed. The essence of the proposed research is the complex processing of monitoring results from various sources of information extraction. The difference between the proposed method and the known ones is that the specified method contains the following improved procedures: – taking into account the type of uncertainty about the state of the monitoring object (complete uncertainty, partial uncertainty, full awareness); – carry out a multi-level analysis of the state of the monitoring object according to 4 levels and 3 significant events; – detection of a monitoring object as part of a group monitoring object. The use of the proposed approach to radio monitoring information processing and monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles/devices of remote sensing of the Earth allows to reduce the time required for deciphering aerospace images by at least 1.3 times. At the same time, the accuracy of determining the coordinates will be limited by the resolution of the equipment of unmanned aerial vehicles/devices of remote sensing of the Earth and is of the order of 0.5 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the life and scientific legacy of Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Vadim Ivanovich Lyalko, the contribution and significance of his works to the development of the scientific direction of remote sensing of the Earth in solving the tasks of aerospace monitoring of the environment, the nature of resource tasks, and observing global changes in the geosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the second part of the series of articles, the issues of the systemic organization of mathematical models for solving the problem of controlling the flows of target information in the Earth remote sensing space system are considered. A description of the interrelated mathematical models of the orbital constellation as components of the information system, the main task of which is to survey ground objects and the formation of the initial volume of information for its further processing, is presented. To calculate the time of servicing the request by the space segment, the following methods of formation are proposed: a model of the evolution of the Earth remote sensing spacecraft orbit; model for forecasting possible spacecraft correction intervals to maintain nominal orbital parameters; model for forecasting possible time intervals for on / off cycles of observation equipment; model for forecasting possible time intervals for dumping the received information to the information reception points. When calculating the cost of servicing a single request from the orbital complex, both the cost of servicing one spacecraft per unit of time and the cost of processing a single request from the ground complex were taken into account. In conclusion, a generalized form of representation of the target information flow model of the Earth remote sensing space system is proposed as an interconnected sequence of functions for changing the amount of information when an appropriate processing process (traffic change functions) is applied to it. General approaches to solving the optimization problem are considered.

The need of the creation of information system with specialized services which allow scientists and specialists to perform thematic processing of Earth remote sensing data, changing the data processing parameters in a certain way, and independently analyze the information received is shown.To achieve the goal of rapid provision of information, the development of specialized information system is considered on the example of the creation of the software package for the dissemination of operational space information, as well as a software package for predicting the yield of grain crops.The structure of the software package for the dissemination of operational space information is shown. The technical and functional characteristics of the separate components of the package are given. The relations of the subsystems of the package are shown during data receiving, processing, analyzing and providing information to interested specialists and researchers. Attention is drawn to the possibilities of wide application of the software package for the dissemination of operational space information for solving scientific and applied problems in various fields of knowledge.The practical application of vegetation indexes in the analysis of operational space information is shown. The data of the practical results of forecasting of the grain crops development, as well as the quantitative indicators of satellites sessions are presented. The possibility of further improvement and development of the created information system is shown.

The article is devoted to the formalization of the problem of distribution of target information flows during the operation of the ERS space system. It is proposed to consider the system as a complex, geographically-distributed information system, the main task of which is to implement a full service cycle, starting with the formation of an application and ending with the provision of a finished thematic product. The decomposition of the ERS space system as a complex information organizational and technical system was carried out, the system and consumer characteristics of its elements were determined. The possibility is substantiated to carry out an objective curtailment of system performance indicators and go to two particular ones that characterize the effectiveness of the target functioning of the system as a whole: the promptness (time) of fulfilling consumer requests for a finished thematic product and the cost of the finished thematic product. A general methodological approach to solving the technical problem is proposed. The result is a formal presentation of the task of distributing the streams of target information during the operation of the ERS space system as a sequence of the following operations: formation of an application; determination of the list of requests to the system required to complete the application; determining the processes and the sequence of their execution that will process the corresponding requests; optimization of the time distribution of processes among the elements of the system, taking into account the selected performance indicators and existing limitations.

The article discusses the features of the radiation of ultrafast point clusters of charged particles moving uniformly near a gyrotropic medium interface. It is shown that some types of electromagnetic radiation – transient and/or Cherenkov radiation – have the characteristics of superchiral fields. Therefore, they can be effectively used to study chiral structures (for example, to detect circular dichroism, the frequency characteristics of refractive indices), various materials, including biomaterials. Ultrafast (relativistic) particles can serve as a «tool» not only for studying the structure of various materials. They can also be used as «generators» of quasiparticles that determine the «dynamic» properties of the materials under study, as well as the features of their interaction with radiation of various nature and response to external influences. In this paper, some types of circularly polarized EM waves propagating in optically active (magnetoactive, naturally active, gyrotropic, and chiral) media are considered. Using the generalized reciprocity theorem for media characterized by the Hermitian permittivity tensor, we consider the transient and Cherenkov radiation excited by a uniformly moving bunch of charged particles when it crosses (or moves along) the interface of media, one of which is an optically active gyrotropic medium. It is shown that the superchiral electromagnetic fields of the transition and Cherenkov radiation of dipoles can serve as a source of chiral collective excitations in magnetoactive and naturally active media. The investigated mechanisms of interaction of electromagnetic radiation with chiral materials (structures and media) are one of the possible physical approaches to solving the problem of the chiral purity of the biosphere and to elucidate the factor of deracemization of the organic primeval environment. A new hypothesis is presented, suggesting that ultra-high-speed clumps of charged particles of cosmic origin can cause deracemization of the prebiosphere.

The article considers a spacecraft for remote sensing of the Earth with high-resolution or ultra-high-resolution optical-electronic equipment. During the shooting process, the recorded image constantly moves through the photodetector matrix at a non-constant and/or excessive velocity, which is not suitable for this photodetector. The purpose of the article is to synthesize a method for the control of the orientation and stabilization of the remote sensing spacecraft, which will provide a strictly specified velocity of the image motion on the photodetector. It is proposed to find such a law of motion (functional dependences of the angular rate of the remote sensing spacecraft on time), which will allow, when applied in the control loop, to compensate for the image motion velocities that are unsuitable for this photodetector. The method used consists in time differentiation of the fundamental equation of space photogrammetry in the guiding cosines, as well as in differentiation of the matrix of guiding cosines. This provides a transition between the guiding cosines in the space of images and the space of objects. The result obtained in the article is the derived equation of space photogrammetry in kinematic form, as well as the functional dependences of angular rate on time. In the present article, a mathematical model of scanning images of the Earth’s landscapes with the help of remote sensing spacecraft is compiled. The obtained functional dependences can be applied in the development of on-board algorithms for controlling the orientation and stabilization of the remote sensing spacecraft. When implementing orientation and stabilization control in the on-board computer based on the obtained functional dependencies, a strictly specified speed of image movement in the focal plane of the on-board shooting equipment can be provided, and, consequently, the quality of the scanned image is improved by improving the function of transmitting the modulation of the kinematic “smudge” (blurring) of the image.

The objective of the paper is to briefly highlight the history of the development of aerospace research of Earth in Ukraine and the contribution of domestic scientists to the study of natural resources by remote sensing methods. The paper was prepared in connection with the 30th anniversary of the State Institution "Scientific Centre for Aerospace Research of Earth of IGN NAS of Ukraine". The role of scientists of the Institute of Geological Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in the implementation of satellite imagery materials in solving current geological problems is shown. Owing to their scientific approaches it was possible to analyze the deep structure of the regions of Ukraine and build cosmogeological maps of different levels of generalization, create physical and mathematical models of heat and mass transfer processes of exploratory geothermal signal formation in the presence of mineral deposits, create the structural-geological map of the Eastern Azov region, obtain new data on the structure and history of geological development of the Azov's Sea. Information on the organizational structure of the Scientific Center for Aerospace Research of the Earth and the achievements of the scientific team is provided. The analysis of the contribution to the development of aerospace research in Ukraine is made. Further prospects for the development of research in the field of remote sensing in Ukraine are considered. The strategy of research development lies in implementing the basic principles of the sustainable development of mankind defined by UN resolutions by providing three major components of life, namely - food, drinking water, and energy. The development of modern methods and technologies for the use of hyperspectral aerospace surveys and computer modeling of energy and mass transfer processes in the Earths geospheres plays an important role in solving this problem. Finally, a list of selected publications of the staff of the Center is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to present a new method for estimating the parameters of the biomass of agricultural crops based on Earth remote sensing (ERS) data. The method includes mathematical models and algorithms estimation and has been tested on the example of spring wheat sowing. Sowing biomass parameters are the basis for making management decisions aimed at obtaining a given crop yield. Currently, for these purposes, vegetation indices are most widely used. It is impossible to estimate the physical parameters of the crop sowing biomass using these indices, due to their scalar form and lack of dimension. The paper develops a classical approach to the problem of estimating the parameters of the state of agricultural crops, in which remote sensing data are considered as an indirect measurement of the estimated parameters. The basis for the implementation of the estimation method is the dynamic model of biomass parameters and the remote sensing model, which reflects the relationship between the spectral reflection parameters and the estimated parameters of the crop biomass. The parameters of the dynamic model and the remote sensing model are refined by selective ground measurements in separate elementary sections of the field. The difference between this article and previous works of a similar nature lies in the fact that agricultural crops with a more complex morphological structure are considered as the object of evaluation. In addition, such an important feature of agricultural objects as their spatial distribution is considered here. To take it into account, a new type of mathematical models is used, in which spatial coordinates are introduced. Due to the significant complication of modeling and estimation algorithms based on such models, simpler approximation schemes are proposed. The advantage of the proposed approach is that the assessment is considered as a dynamic process that meets the content of the task of monitoring crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the situation around forest management is unfavorable for the preservation of the total mass of forests. In general, there are often facts without control logging, incomplete restoration of forests, lack of operational information about the state of individual forest fund allotments and many smaller problems. In the development strategy of our country "Kazakhstan - 2050", the new political course of the established state highlights the process of digitalization of society. During the implementation of the project, it is planned to use GIS technology for the transition to full digitalization of forestry activities on the example of the Zhanasemeysky forestry "Semey Ormany". This will significantly reduce the influence of the human factor on the planning of the logging process and the restoration of forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is dedicated to reviewing and analyzing domestic and foreign literature on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to search and predict ore deposits in Russia and other countries. It is shown that unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used in our country for environmental monitoring; creating and updating digital cartographic information; referencing of images to geographic coordinates; etc. However, these technologies are used much less frequently in the search and prediction of ore mineralization. The effectiveness of their use is still low relative to other countries. Unmanned aerial vehicles are most actively being introduced in the oil and gas industry. At the same time, the use of these technologies can bring benefits in the main processes of geological exploration and prospect evaluation, as well as in the initial production stages, and reduce financial costs. The enterprises that occupy the leading positions in the development of commercial technologies to provide services for obtaining geospatial data and the development and application of unmanned aerial systems are considered. The regulatory framework for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the Russian Federation, as well as that of such leaders in this field as China and the United States, is analyzed. It is shown that, while unmanned technologies develop rapidly in some countries, regulatory and legal support does not always regulate their application being at different stages of the legislative process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geostrategic position of Russia in the Asia-Pacific region is determined by the level of economic, social and political development on the territory of Far East. The prospects for its improvement in view of modern realities and trends cannot be imagined without the development of transport and economic connections between the subjects, including Sakhalin Island and the mainland. The transcontinental transport market within the international transport corridors is huge positive potential for development of the regions of the Far East, Siberia and the whole Russia. The decision to develop the transport infrastructure of the outskirts at the level of the Government of the Russian Federation will demonstrate the State attitude to its Far Eastern territory and outline its positions in the Asia-Pacific region. The relevance of the research is caused by the need to develop design solutions for selection of possible options for organization of sustainable year-round transport links between the mainland and Sakhalin for development of the resource potential of adjacent territories. The final choice of the location and type of construction, which will ensure uninterrupted transportation by rail and road through the Tatar Strait, can be made only after thorough analysis of the advantages of any of them, depending on natural conditions. The aim of the research is to analyze the results of geological and geomorphological studies in the Nevelskogo Strait (narrowest part of the Tatar Strait) to select the location of the transport crossing. Materials and methods of the research. The information basis for the study was cartographic materials, earth remote sensing data, seismic profiles, other data obtained as a result of engineering and scientific research, in which the authors participated, as well as information from literary sources. Mapping in the geographic information environment allowed updating geological maps, applying new data on faults, clarifying the boundaries of stratigraphic strata. In geomorphological studies, a system-morphological approach was used, which makes it possible to assess the geomorphological risk. The available information was used to model the processes in the Strait applying GIS technologies. The authors performed geological work for study of the leading line «Novy» in 2001. The most part of the information is published for the first time. As result of the studies of geological structure of the coastal territory and the bottom of the Nevelsky Strait, conducted during the research to justify the project of a bridge or tunnel transition from the mainland to Sakhalin (including those with the participation of the authors), it was revealed that the rift structure of the Nevelsky Strait consists of blocks of the earth's crust, dissected by deep faults. The territory is classified as an area where seismic shocks are possible at 7–8 points on the MSK-64 scale. The retreat of the mainland coast is highly dependent on the strength of the rocks. The intensity of abrasion of Nevelsky Cape, established according to the space surveys, did not exceed 1 m per 100 years, so leading line of the designed facilities on the construction shore is advisable to start from the coastal ledges (cliffs), which are composed of lava and pyroclastic deposits of basalt and andesite composition with massive texture (Nevelsky, Ekaterina, Muravyov capes etc.). On the Sakhalin coast, the construction can be brought to the coastal ledge of Lakh Cape (it is least susceptible to erosion). Preliminary results of the study of geological conditions have shown that the construction of a bridge of class I seismic resistance across the Strait is possible. The most calm in seismic respect is the leading line «Novy» (Nevelsky Cape – Lakh Cape). The obtained geomorphological data indicate that in this range the erosion of coastal ledges is minimal – first centimeters per year (during the observation period of 1 cm/year). Geological-geomorphological conditions will not have serious obstacles in the construction of the object along the line between these capes.

The paper considers the problem of a small-spacecraft elastic elements’ temperature shock that occurs when the spacecraft immerses into the Earth’s shadow or comes out of it. A small spacecraft with two elastic elements is simulated. In the first approximation, such a problem is considered to be a symmetric problem. Estimations of disturbing factors from the temperature shock in a symmetric formulation are obtained. The differences from the results for a small spacecraft with a single elastic element are analyzed. The results of the work can be used for promising small technological spacecraft development, as well as for solving problems of space debris removal and remote sensing of the Earth.

The mathematical expressions, specifying the estimation of the capabilities of remote sensing satellites with opto-electronic imaging equipment for observing the Earth’s surface with the necessary (predetermined) spatial resolution of the space imaging materials when deflecting the optical axis of on-board information complex, are obtained and substantiated in the article. The validity of the obtained expressions is proved by comparing the results of the solution of the direct and inverse problems of determining the spatial resolution of the space imaging materials when the optical axis of the on-board information complex of remote sensing satellites is deflected. Taking into account the deterioration of spatial resolution depending on the angle of deviation of the on-board information system of the satellites and the curvature of the Earth provides increasing the accuracy in determining the field of regard of satellites when modeling the state and changes in the space situation, as well as assessing their surface capabilities for space imaging. The capabilities of remote sensing satellites with opto-electronic equipment have been evaluated and it has been proved that the space imagery they receive cannot be applied to detect and identify (to the kind, class, type) objects of observation within the entire field of regard of imaging equipment, provided that the claimed spatial resolution of the space imaging materials. Prospects for further research are the refinement solution of practical problems in planning the use of on-board resource of remote sensing satellites, the improvement of algorithms for taking into account the possible observation of domestic territory (objects) with the help of foreign spacecraft’s and improving the methods of estimation of the remote sensing satellites with radar equipment.

Background. Meadows of the temperate zone are characterized by high biodiversity. Recently their area has been reduced as a result of land use change. Therefore it is important to assess their current state and spatial distribution. However, for the territory of European Russia patterns of spatial distribution are not known, ecology of grasslands is poorly studied, and syntaxonomy is not fully developed. Our aim was to fill this gap using traditional geobotanical methods and mapping with remote sensing data. Materials and methods. We use 278 relevés of grasslands made in the vicinity of the Polistovsky Reserve (Pskov Oblast`) and 11 scenes of Sentinel-2 (2018–2019). We carried out vegetation classification by floristic criteria, DCA-ordination and calculation of Ellenberg` s indicator values. Remote data (Sentinel scenes) were classified by Random forest algorithm using 234 predictors (derivatives of satellite images). The resulting maps were validated with randomly distributed points and drone images. Results. The vegetation classification scheme has been developed, maps of the distribution of syntaxonomical classes and alliances have been obtained. Overall map accuracy was 83 % for classes and 87.3 % for alliances. The gradients of environmental factors that determine the differentiation of vegetation are identified. Conclusions. Alliances of herbaceous vegetation are well detected on the basis of time series of Sentinel-2 images. Peculiarities of spatial distribution of these communities are explained by their ecology. The largest areas are occupied by communities of Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class due to their high diversity. The most valuable meadows of the Molinion caeruleae alliance are poorly represented in the transition zone of the reserve. On the alliance level, the largest areas are occupied by the communities of the Convolvulo arvensis-Agropyrion repentis alliance.