Current Research
The mission of CERES is to improve environmental analysis and planning by integrating natural and cultural resource information from multiple contributors and to make it available and useful to a wide variety of users. CERES integrates access to data and information via the World Wide Web, contributing to advances in the science of data management and metadata cataloging, by encouraging cooperation and standard practices among governmental, educational, and private groups. The California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES) is an information system developed by the California Resources Agency to facilitate access to a variety of electronic data describing California's rich and diverse environments.
In water limited environments, the density and water content of plant canopies is highly correlated with available soil moisture. Soil moisture limits the magnitude of evapotranspiration and changes the partitioning of sensible heat flux, thus altering downwind humidity. CalSpace will provide MODIS derived estimates of vegetation water content, addressing at different scales various measurements of water content: equivalent water thickness, fuel moisture content and relative canopy water content; each useful for different global modeling purposes that address key NASA Earth Science questions. More...
The introduction and spread of invasive plant species poses a significant challenge to conservation practitioners and agency personnel responsible for managing native biodiversity. The development of innovative tools that bridge science and conservation practice to delineate target invasives will encourage a more proactive approach to their management and mitigation. This research is currently using hyperspectral remote sensing techniques to map aquatic and riparian invasive plants in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (including the Tuolumne, Merced, and San Joaquin Rivers in particular) in the Central Valley of California. More...
The goal of this project is to design, fabricate and test fly an Uninhibited Aerial Vehicle (UAV), to be used by researchers at several UC campuses to fulfill their environmental application missions of observation and data collection with cameras and other remote sensing instruments. UAVs are proving to be the best platforms for monitoring air quality, terrestrial ecosystems, and emergency situations such as wild-fires. The UAV will need to be rapidly deployable and capable of performing different types of missions in terms of range and duration.
We anticipate a design with an 8 ft wing span capable of supporting a payload of up to 15lbs and flying for at least 2 hours with maximum payload. The UAV will be deployable by a crew of two, with few requirements for launching described in a performance manual of the UAV indicating takeoff and landing performance, climb performance, maximum operational altitude, cruise speed, range and endurance depending on airplane weight and density altitude.
Abstract- We proposal the design and construction of a suite of instruments modules to create a testbed for the deployment of remote sensors. Parameters of the testbed include size, weight and power constraints suitable for small scale aerospace vehicles, anticipating vigorous growth in Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle (UAV) deployment, the testbed design will allow for deployment on other vehicles including; filed towers, tractors, automobiles, and aircraft. The testbed will support a wide range of applications, encouraging remote sensing solutions in new disciplines as well as demonstrating the complete range of engineering knowledge required for successful deployment of remote sensing instruments.
Multi-disciplinary education is a primary components with aspects in sensor fabrication, location and position control, wireless communication, vehicle integration, software development, and applications and field testing. We anticipate participation from students in fields including; mechanical and aerospace engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, environmental science, and biological and agricultural engineering.