AERO_IRT

The AERO_IRT project supported by the TOSCA program aims to demonstrate the new capabilities of SAFIRE concerning its surface observation activities through recently acquired thermal infrared (IRT) measurement instruments. At the same time the project promoted the use of the instruments by the scientific community. The platform brings together 2 IRT cameras which provide information on the surface temperature; In addition, a multi-spectral camera operating in the visible-near infrared range (5 channels) provides additional information on the state of the vegetation. After carrying out the mechanical assembly work and developing an acquisition chain, the assembly was installed on board the Piper Aztec. This equipment is now functional and provides synchronized and georeferenced image sequences along the flight path. It will play an important role in the framework of preparatory work and thereafter calibration / validation work for the Franco-Indian TRISHNA space mission which is a high-resolution space-time satellite in the IRT, whose launch is scheduled for 2024- 25.

The AERO_IRT project cumulated scientific interests and funding to acquire data over a set of experimental sites located in the South-West and the South-East of France during 2 measurement campaigns carried out in June and September 2019. The sites were chosen to correspond with the primary scientific objectives of the TRISHNA mission, monitoring water stress on vegetation, and monitoring coastal and continental waters. The work involves several laboratories and institutes (CESBIO, INRA, IRD) on plant areas (agricultural cover to the west of Toulouse, vineyards, green oak forests in Languedoc, natural vegetation on the Larzac plateau) as well as on the Mediterranean coastal area for LEGOS (coastal lagoons of Languedoc, Marseille Calanques). The first analyses of the images confirm the excellent quality of the data acquired, and the potential of the platform for a large scientific community involved in the work of supporting the TRISHNA project and extended to other disciplines (urban, geology, cryosphere) .