EOIR Payload on EOS-08 Begins Operations, Offering excellent Thermal Imaging Capabilities
Electro Optical-Infrared (EOIR) is a state-of-the-art payload aboard EOS-08, along with the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) payload and the SiC UV Dosimeter
By R Anil Kumar
New Delhi, September 19. The Electro Optical-Infrared (EOIR) payload on board EOS-08, ISRO’s latest Earth Observation Satellite, launched through the third developmental flight of ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) on August 16, 2024, has commenced its operations (EOS-08 Mission).
EOIR is a state-of-the-art payload aboard EOS-08, along with the Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) payload and the SiC UV Dosimeter. Developed by the Space Applications Centre (SAC-ISRO), the EOIR payload is equipped with advanced mid-wave infrared (MIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) channels, marking a significant advancement in thermal imaging technology with its high performance.
One of the first images captured by the EOIR payload was taken on August 19, 2024, over Pune city at 07:45 AM local time, as shown in Figure 1. The MIR image highlights the payload’s ability to capture high-resolution thermal images.
Figure 1: EOIR Image Over Pune City
Images were taken over the Namibia Desert on August 21, 2024, at 11:15 AM local time. The LWIR image, shown in Figure 2, further highlights the payload’s ability to capture high-resolution thermal images with an exceptional level of detail.
The ongoing commissioning phase has included initial calibration over a sea target, and early results indicate that the EOIR payload’s performance for both MIR and LWIR channels meets the expected standards. Further validation is underway to ensure consistent accuracy across various environmental conditions.
Figure 2: EOIR Image Over Namibia Desert
This high-resolution infrared camera provides thermal images with an unprecedented level of detail (Figure 3), offering unique capabilities that enhance a variety of applications.
Figure 3:EOIR Image Over Namibia Desert
In addition to the desert imagery, Figure 4 displays land surface temperature (LST) data derived from the EOIR payload over Santiago, Chile, compared with data from Landsat-09’s Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). The Landsat-09 data, acquired on August 24, 2024, at 10:33 AM local time, is compared with EOS-08’s data from 2:45 PM local time.
The difference in time between these images resulted in a temperature increase of about 2.5 K, as expected due to diurnal temperature variations. The EOIR payload’s superior resolution at 8 meters spatial accuracy allows for detailed temperature mapping, demonstrating its potential in capturing fine thermal variations.
Figure 4:Land Surface Temperature from Landsat-09 TIRS and EOS-08 EOIR
The ongoing commissioning process will further validate the EOIR payload’s capabilities, ultimately enhancing its role in environmental monitoring. This includes precise applications such as improved agricultural management, more effective wildfire detection, and accurate urban heat island (UHI) mapping. The payload’s high-resolution thermal data promises to deliver actionable insights that help address pressing environmental and climate challenges.
The EOIR payload’s LWIR channel has been particularly effective in agricultural monitoring. By providing detailed data on soil moisture and vegetation health, the EOIR payload enables optimized water use, improved crop yields, and more efficient farm management. Its ability to differentiate between fire-affected areas and surrounding landscapes makes it a powerful tool in wildfire management as well.
The MIR channel has shown impressive capability in detecting heat emissions from active fires, offering critical insights for early detection and continuous monitoring of wildfires. This is crucial for assessing fire intensity and behaviour, which supports more effective response efforts to mitigate damage.
In urban planning, the EOIR payload’s thermal imagery has been instrumental in mapping Urban Heat Islands (UHI). The ability to capture detailed temperature variations within urban environments enhances efforts to design sustainable cities that mitigate heat-related challenges.
Data from the EOIR payload, processed using algorithms and software developed by SAC-ISRO at the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC-ISRO), is being transformed into actionable insights. These insights are expected to support a wide range of applications, from optimizing agricultural practices to better managing wildfires and addressing urban heat challenges.
(Image Source: ISRO)
