Remote sensing is to collect data of an object through sensors that are not in physical contact with the object (i.e. taking a photo with a camera). Modern sensors collect significant amout of information at global scale including land cover types, weather, and night lights etc.. Over time, such information can assist to revealing the patterns, identify changes, as well as predict about the future (i.e. weather forecast and urban planning, etc.)
CARS is dedicated to introduce and make remote sensing and GIS technology available to a wide variety of researchers and professionals through collaborative research.
Second, CARS will make available its state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure (through independent contracts and subcontracts) to federal and state agencies as well as private industry.
A major emphasis areas in CARS 's action plan is integration of diverse spatial data and the development of new methodologies for analysis of these data, thereby providing products to a variety of different audiences. Cooperative programs will be developed by CARS designed to bring together the benefits of academic research and development, the resources of state and federal agencies and the private sector to provide the state and region with effective spatial technologies, trained practitioners, and low-cost digital data.
CARS has worked with various ferderal, state and local entities including NASA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and State Historic Preservation Office, etc. The research topics cover a range of fields to evaluate land cover and land use patterns, depict fuel models to assist wildfire monitoring. The center is dedicated to utlize remote sensing techonology, together with GIS to advance the knowledge and improve the ways to deal with disaster relief, emergency management.
