High-performance computing, visualization, and GIS system for radar remote sensing

本提案中要求的设备是为了支持我提交的NSERC发现补助金提案，题为“行星表面的雷达遥感和地质分析”。“作为多伦多大学地质系的一名新教员，我正在建立一个遥感实验室，用于相关的发现赠款提案中所述的项目。 该实验室的核心要素是本文所述的高性能计算系统。 该系统包括：1）用于雷达处理和建模的高速四处理器Apple Mac Pro台式计算机OS X服务器; 2）用于地理信息系统应用的高速双处理器戴尔工作站，运行Microsoft Windows XP和全套地理信息系统软件; 3）用于数据存档和访问的7 TB X-serve RAID数据存档系统;以及4）对于硬拷贝数据的可视化和结果的传播，大幅面彩色打印机。 在多伦多大学或附近的其他地方没有类似的系统。 遥感数据分析系统将设在地质系分配给我的实验室空间内，参与这项工作的学生和同事可远程或亲自使用。 所要求的系统将允许学生使用安装在服务器上的软件参与处理和分析来自月球和火星的雷达数据。 他们还可以访问戴尔系统上的全套GIS软件，用于分析来自加拿大北极地区的行星数据和野外雷达数据。 通过这项工作，学生将获得以下方面的经验：a）遥感数据收集和处理; B）遥感数据的地质解释; c）在地理信息系统框架中整合多个数据集; d）创建可视化产品和传播结果;以及e）数据存档。 所有这些技能将是有价值的学生在学术或行业领域，如矿产勘探，环境缓解，城市规划或工程寻求就业。

The equipment requested in this proposal is to support my submitted NSERC Discovery Grant proposal entitled, "Radar remote sensing and geological analysis of planetary surfaces."  As a new faculty member in the Department of Geology at the University of Toronto, I am establishing a remote sensing laboratory for use in the projects described in the associated Discovery Grant proposal.  The core element of this laboratory is the high-performance computing system described herein.  This system consists of: 1) for radar processing and modelling, a high-speed quad-processor Apple Mac Pro desktop computer OS X server; 2) for GIS applications, a high-speed dual-processor Dell workstation running Microsoft Windows XP and a full suite of GIS software; 3) for data archiving and accessibility, a 7 Terabyte X-serve RAID data archiving system; and 4) for hard copy data visualization and dissemination of results, a large-format color plotter.  There is no equivalent system available elsewhere at the University of Toronto or nearby.  The remote sensing data analysis system will be housed in laboratory space allocated to me by the Department of Geology, and will be accessible remotely or in person by students and colleagues involved in this work.  The requested system will allow students to participate in processing and analysis of radar data from the Moon and Mars using the software installed on the server.  They will also have access to the full suite of GIS software on the Dell system, which they will use to analyze the planetary data and field-based radar data from the high Arctic of Canada.  Through this work, students will gain experience with a) remote sensing data collection and processing; b) geological interpretations from remote sensing data; c) integration of multiple datasets in a GIS framework; d) creating visualization products and dissemination of results; and e) data archiving.  All of these skills will be valuable for students seeking employment in academics or in industry in fields such as mineral exploration, environmental mitigation, urban planning, or engineering.