A Multi-Sensor Aerogeophysical Study of Afghanistan

Abstract : A multi-sensor, multidisciplinary aerogeophysical survey over much of Afghanistan was recently conducted by investigators from NRL and the U.S. Geological Survey. The survey was flown aboard an NP-3D Orion aircraft operated by VXS-1. Sensor systems installed on the P-3 included dual gravimeters, scalar and vector magnetometers, a digital photogrammetric camera, a hyperspectral imager, and an L-band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar. Data from all sources was precisely co-registered to the ground by a combination of interferometric-mode Global Positioning System and inertial measurements. The data from this integrated mapping mission supports numerous efforts in Afghanistan: combat operations, economic exploration for oil, gas, and minerals, humanitarian missions, development of civil infrastructure, and agriculture resource management. This mission has also advanced the state of the art in integrated multi-sensor airborne remote sensing.