Emerging Applications

Synonyms

Emerging societal benefits

Definition

Application. An application of remote sensing is a practical use of information obtained with the technique of remote sensing. Applications are distinct from scientific investigations or engineering development in that their purpose is to consume and apply remote sensing information rather than create and understand it.

Emerging. An emerging application is one in which a new means for using remote sensing information is developed to address a new problem, exploit a new opportunity, or perform an existing function in a new way.

Introduction

Beyond its tremendous value for understanding the Earth, remote sensing also provides a myriad of more practical benefits to society (Group on Earth Observations, 2005). The National Research Council, in its landmark 2007 Decadal Survey of Earth Science and Applications (National Research Council, 2007), underscored the importance of this balance by noting that “attention to securing practical benefits...