A Novel Border Monitoring System Using Medium and High Resolution Commercial Satellite Images

We propose a novel three-phased border monitoring system to detect and describe potential risks for trans-border activities from commercial very high resolution imagery. This system also supports the development of a general level assessment of potential risks, based on medium resolution satellite imagery such as Landsat or MODIS, to detect features or changes in features that may be predictors of elevated risk along an international border and offer a monitoring service. Satellite imagery can be used to detect features directly (e.g., roads, paths, and changes in landscape) and also to look for significant changes along a border that may be indicators of elevated risk. The proposed application will provide a means to more readily examine and quantify risk over very large portions of or an entire countrys international border. Key to this overall approach to mapping potential risk along international borders, is our ability to process satellite imagery, both medium and high resolution, in the process of detecting features and mapping significant indicators of potential risk. Our team has developed advanced image processing systems that leverage both of our own unique satellite imagery as well as imagery from other sources that provide insight and monitoring capabilities for international borders, world-wide.