Hello,
Does anyone know any sources of the multispectral/panchromatic satellite imagery, dated before 2000, which provide higher spatial resolution, than 30-60m (Landsat 1-5). We contacted Scanex, and searched in online catalogues, such as Geocento Earth Images, USGS...but couldn't find any images we need, in the catalogues. Unfortunately, the spatial resolution 30-60m is not enough for our studies.
Something like SPOT1-5, Corona, DMC, etc. could be perfect, I think.
If there is a way to get at least several images captured in 1970 ths-1990 ths, please let me know ASAP.
Maria
As per my experience with the satellite data from USGS, there is no possibility of getting the mentioned time images. But you must contact the USGS, and maybe you'll get some reliable information or the required images. The same issue I faced, but then I changed my study's time scale.
Ikonos was launch in 1999
Landsat 4/5 (30 m / 15 m pan-sharpened) is from the mid-1980s.
Spot 1 and 2 10 panchromatic and 20 meters multispectral from about 1986.
Before 1985 you are out of luck.
Yes, there is, available through NASA EarthExplorer portal:
See https://www.usgs.gov/centers/eros/science/usgs-eros-archive-declassified-data-declassified-satellite-imagery-3?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
And more is not available online, you can request scans of those.
That being said, these are not trivial to deal with - it requires an understanding of the entire technical context of the systems.
It's useful to familiarize your self with the histories and technical details of the platforms ( https://www.nro.gov/History-and-Studies/Center-for-the-Study-of-National-Reconnaissance/The-GAMBIT-and-HEXAGON-Programs/ ).
Some are outstanding ( 2 to 4 foot resolution, caveat: the metadata may be completely misleading in the catalog).
These are military reconnaissance imagery which were scanned from photographic film, returned from orbit, and those orbits were not the nice ones of modern remote sensing platforms ( some are taken at times of day to accentuate features of interest, rather than repeatability. The film / mirror mechanism can make georeferencing these 'interesting', some have a waviness from side to side along the track, and the scene parameters may be variable from one end of the image to the other depending on the orbit. I usually start with an oblique Mercator which has an axis perpendicular to the orbital plane, and go from there.
Since Norilsk was foundational to supplying the Soviet military industrial complex, there seems to be a lot imagery.
It was amazing what they did with the technology at the time.
Maybe you could ask Russia to return the favor, I'm sure their Cold War military reconnaissance of the US would be invaluable for ecological studies here :-)
Thank you so much for providing the image information!
Unfortunately, all Russian satellite imagery distributors say they have no historical images at all. The matter is, I guess, that the situation is currently not promising, compared with that in the past. Thus, the comparison must bring unpleasant results. At least historical Landsat and modern image analysis (2015-2020) shows this. Or course, we need more reliable data to conclude such statement, and to get more details about the past.
INRE: "... no possibility of getting the mentioned time images ..."
Imagery of Krasnoyarsk Krai
Dudinka ( Дудинка ) and Norilsk, Russia 1965
Norilsk, Russia (1980)
Norilsk Stadium (1966) gables on roofs discenible
Although, there are some interesting challenges to handling black and white Siberian winter scenes with clouds and almost no terrain relief! The opposite of finding a black cat in a unlit coal mine. Seasonal changes would have to be leveraged.
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