Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency (ANASA)

The use of the space information to provide the solutions necessary for improving Azerbaijan's economy is considered to be the priority for activities of the Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency (ANASA). Space images covering the whole territory of Azerbaijan over recent years and data collected during previous years are used for this purpose.

In the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, ANASA had an opportunity to carry out full-scale aerial photography of nearly the whole territory of Azerbaijan using an MSF-6 camera on board an AN-30 laboratory plane. For this reason, the data archive of Azerbaijan contains information dating back many years.

Taking into account an intensive development of production and investigation into new carbon sources, a project carried out by ANASA in which remote sensing data and geological-geophysical research into the oil reserves of the Shemakha-Gobustan area were used should be highlighted. The analysis of the results allows the development of maps of tectonic intensity at different depth levels and, indirectly, the prediction of oilfields and gas fields.

Aerospace information is the only possible source of information for the study of disaster processes such as landslides and land flows. These processes are very important in the mountain areas of Azerbaijan, which account for up to 50 per cent of the country. ANASA developed a method for the registration of such processes, and on this basis maps of landslides, land flows and other disasters have been created.

Disasters caused by seismic activity occur in Azerbaijan, where experts have shown that earthquakes with a force of up to 7 or 8 on the Richter scale are possible. The last strong earthquake, with a force of 6.5 on the Richter scale, was observed on 25 November 2001 several tens of kilometres from the capital of Azerbaijan. For this reason, ANASA has developed and prepared for production a three-dimensional seismometer with wide frequency (2x10-4-40 Hz) and dynamic (110-120 Db) range that allows the user to register very weak seismic signals (10-2 µm) in analogue and digital form.

In addition, ANASA developed a number of sensors, such as thermometers, compasses and digital sensors of wind speed and direction, for the collection of remotely sensed data. These include a portable device (with a weight of up to 2 kg) for source search and capacity measurement of doses of gamma radiation in the range of 0.005-2.0 mR/h. The device allows the mapping of radiation conditions along a certain route, with individual radiation measurements georeferenced using the Global Positioning System (GPS).

In 2001, ANASA, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), carried out a project using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and images taken during 1998 and 1999 with a thematic mapper on the Land Remote Sensing Satellite (Landsat-5) on the creation of land-cover/ land-use maps on a scale of 1:50,000 covering the whole territory of Azerbaijan. Those maps, as well as archived data from aerial photography, are the basis of an activity conducted in ANASA on mapping degradation of arid areas of the Caspian Sea coastal zone, including the formation of salt crusts.

On the basis of land-cover/land-use maps in one of the southern areas of Azerbaijan with a subtropical climate, the Lenkoran district, work has been carried out to study the dynamics of land-cover/land-use changes and reveal the reasons for those changes. Certain trends, including decreasing areas of woodland, sharp changes in agricultural areas and other land-cover/land-use types, have been identified. Moreover, urbanization of land most suitable for agriculture has also taken place.

The Caspian Sea plays a huge role in maintaining vital activities of Azerbaijan as a whole. It is not only a source of marine products and energy resources such as oil and gas but it is also one of the major factors influencing Azerbaijan's climate. Changes in the level of the Caspian Sea influence the level of groundwater and lead to swamping in the coastal zone. For this reason, the Caspian Sea receives the steadfast attention of ANASA experts.