MRI: Acquisition of a Hyperspectral Field Spectroradiometer to Enable Interdisciplinary Research

高光谱成像是遥感领域中一个迅速发展的知识和应用领域，成为遥感行业未来员工需要的最关键技能之一。这笔主要研究仪器(MRI)赠款支持购买便携式高光谱成像仪器，用于北爱荷华大学的实验室和现场研究，该大学主要是一所本科院校，致力于为所有学生提供高质量和高影响力的奖学金。FieldSpec(R)光谱辐射仪广泛应用于STEM的许多领域，包括地理信息科学、遥感、环境科学和生物学。这一工具将对校内外教职员工、学生、教研员和实习生的积极研究、教学和培训活动产生直接影响。它将加强核心科学和技术领域的课程，支持本科生和研究生获得与应用和体验式学习相关的实践经验和教育，并加强教师的能力，以促进他们的研究和教学质量的提高。该设备将促进创建一个高度跨学科的研究环境，实现部门内和部门间的研究合作，并将增加获得外部资金的可能性。FieldSpec(R)的主要好处是它的便携性，在几乎任何环境中提供最快和最准确的测量，以及通过收集从实验室到偏远现场的数百个连续光谱通道来对目标的化学和结构特性进行光谱表征的能力。该仪器将实现：1)以尽可能最佳的方法校准和验证实验室、航空和卫星遥感图像；2)随时随地进行快速、准确和经济有效的光谱测量；3)利用新方法为实验室和现场环境中的不同材料开发高光谱标志库。具体地说，该设备将在许多核心跨学科研究领域提供高光谱成像科学的新知识发现，包括图像处理、地貌/矿物学分析、城市和路面材料测绘、北极环境和冰冻圈监测、植物生理学评估和水质评估，这将有利于学生的培训并允许进行跨学科研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Hyperspectral imaging is a rapidly growing field of knowledge and application area in remote sensing, becoming one of the most critical skills needed by future employees in the remote sensing industry. This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant supports the acquisition of a portable Hyperspectral Imaging instruments for both laboratory- and field-based research at the University of Northern Iowa, a primarily undergraduate institution, that has a deep commitment to high-quality and high-impact scholarship to all students. The FieldSpec (R) Spectroradiometer instrument is widely used in many STEM fields including Geographic Information Science, Remote Sensing, Environmental Science, and Biology for various applications. This instrument will have an immediate impact on active research, teaching, and training activities by faculty, students, staff researchers, and trainees on and outside campus. It will enhance the curriculum in core science and technology areas, support undergraduate and graduate students to gain hands-on experience and education that connects to applied and experiential learning, and strengthen the ability of faculty to facilitate improved quality of their research and teaching. This device will promote the creation of a highly interdisciplinary research environment, enable intra- and inter-departmental research collaboration, and will increase the possibility of securing external funding.The major benefits of FieldSpec (R) are its portability, provision of the fastest and most accurate measurement in nearly any environment, and the capability of spectrally characterizing the chemical and structural properties of a target by collecting hundreds of contiguous spectral channels from laboratories to remote field sites. The instrument will enable: 1) the best possible approach to calibrate and validate laboratory, aerial, and satellite remote sensing images; 2) rapid, accurate, and cost-effective spectral measurements whenever and wherever it is required; and 3) development of hyperspectral signature libraries for different materials from laboratory and field settings with new approaches. Specifically, this device will provide new knowledge discovery in the science of Hyperspectral Imaging in many core interdisciplinary research areas including image processing, geomorphology/mineralogy analysis, urban and road surface materials mapping, the Arctic environments and cryosphere monitoring, plant physiology estimation, and water quality assessment, which will benefit the training of students and allow for interdisciplinary research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.