Lebanon and Earth Observation

The National Centre for Remote Sensing is an embodiment of Lebanon's focused efforts to come abreast of use of the applications of scientific knowledge and advanced technology, notably in gaining information that will help achieve proper redevelopment of the country. As part of the National Council for Scientific Research, the Centre plays a pivotal role in contributing to the scientific needs of the country, notably in securing data and structured information for redevelopment projects and environmental concerns. The Centre also helps decision makers on actions and policies of relevance for the safe use of space, remote sensing and the Geographic Information System (GIS).

The mandate of the Centre is as follows: (a) Cooperation with and assistance to public and private sector organizations, institutes and so on in planning and implementing the use of remote sensing and GIS in their operations, emphasizing environmental and cultural concerns, in particular; (b) Creation of databases from satellite imagery on a timely basis in different areas and disciplines and making the information available to the public and private sector as the need arises; (c) Interacting and cooperating with remote sensing centres, both regional and international, for the purpose of development, scientific progress and public welfare; (d) Establishing the necessary in-house and field support systems, laboratories and ground truthing systems for verification of sensed data; (e) Training and capacity-building of personnel of the Centre as it expands and of personnel of public agencies for other purposes, as the need arises; (f) Formulating and advising on actions and policies in relation to conventions, protocols, agreements or other matters in the area of remote sensing with regional and international counterparts or Governments.

The Centre has shared in and contributed to defining needs in areas where remote sensing is applicable in Lebanon with emphasis on public awareness. Similarly, it has assisted other public agencies on relevant matters, notably on the potential of GIS and information technology. Different consultancies have taken shape, notably in designing and implementing projects on or formulating actions as relates to accessing data, identifying archaeological sites, development and assessment studies, maps and evaluation reports on resources (water, soil, iron ore deposits and construction materials); agriculture (land cover and suitability, productivity and yield, rural management and soil conservation); and the environment (historic monuments, land degradation, soil erosion, forestry, biodiversity, coastal deterioration and natural disasters).

New technologies are being used in supplying and upgrading databases and specific information for the different development and cultural areas in Lebanon.

The Centre makes use of the wealth of data supplied from remote sensing platforms, converting, rectifying and processing them where necessary in order to meet the requirements of applied research and researchers working to respond to the priority needs of Lebanon. The objective is to serve the community, both public and private, and to ensure full cooperation at different levels. The Centre's efforts in capacity-building, that is, setting up joint ventures, training, technology transfer, information systems and attending and participating in scientific meetings, is a major and ongoing activity. Ground truthing, material verification for accuracy and quality and producing essential documents on an accurate basis, both geographically and scientifically, to comply with the wishes of decision makers for proper development and cultural preservation is a basic part of the Centre's activities. The following section describes projects and themes reflected in the activities of the Centre.

Projects in progress include: (a) Monitoring of the marine environment and creation of a related database (with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); (b) Resources, quality and management of water in the Akkar region (with the Centre d'études, de documentation et de recherches européennes); (c) Al-Kabeer river basin programme: management of an international border watershed (with Canada and the Syrian Arab Republic); (d) Programme of training workshops on environmental information systems, GIS and remote sensing (with the German Foundation for International Development); (e) Management and sustainable use of groundwater and soil and their protection from contamination (with the Arab Centre for the Study of Arid Zones and Dry Lands and the Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe of Germany (regional)); (f) Study of natural soil resources and soil conservation (local, with regional assistance); (g) Examination of the economic potential of iron ore deposits lying between the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon (regional); (h) Thermal infra-red survey of freshwater sources in the marine environment (regional); (i) Application of remote sensing in the Baalbek archaeological area (local, with assistance from Italy and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization); (j) Assessment of natural resources in the karst coastal area (Mediterranean, international); (k) An assessment study relating to certain aspects of seismic activity in Lebanon (international).

Projects about to be implemented or currently in preparation include: (a) Tectonic and environmental hazard mapping of the northern segment of the Dead Sea fault system using a digital elevation model (DEM) from ESA remote sensing satellite (ERS) tandem mission synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data (international); (b) Modelling control mechanisms of climate-land interactions for environmental conservation in the eastern Mediterranean intermontaine region (regional); (c) Practical approaches to monitoring of marine water quality indicators in Lebanon using remote sensing techniques (international); (d) Upgrading and centralization of a public sector GIS (local); (e) Assessment of environmental sensitivity and proper land use of urban coastal areas (regional); (f) Monitoring indicators of pollution, in particular by hydrocarbons, in the Mediterranean (international); (g) A pilot study to monitor water quality indicators in Beirut Bay using sea-viewing wide field of view sensor (SeaWiFS) data (international); (h) Proposal for the development of an environmental information system for Lebanon (international); (i) Study of astronomical sites at the Midi-Pyrénées-Lebanon Observatory (international); (j) Applications of remote sensing in archaeology in the region of Tyr (regional); (k) Pilot project on soil erosion in the Jbeil area (local).