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To overcome the inherent inter-species and high intra-species spectral variability, typical of savanna environments, a new novel decision tree multiple end member Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) classification approach was introduced… (more)
To overcome the inherent inter-species and high intra-species spectral variability, typical of savanna environments, a new novel decision tree multiple end member Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) classification approach was introduced and tested against a traditional straight forward multiple end member SAM classification approach to detect and classify eight common savanna tree species in the Sabi Sands and Bushbuckridge region in Mpumalanga, South Africa… (more)
The paper presents the problems associated with current geographic information system (GIS) and the need for their integration with other specialised tooling such as statistics in R or matrix algebra of Octave. The authors take the stance that neither GIS should be adapted to include all the functionality of for example a statistics package nor should the statistics package be adapted to become a full GIS… (more)
Climate change poses a major threat to environmental sustainability. In Africa, sectors which face projected vulnerability include, food security, public health and water resources. A general increase in extreme weather events is also predicted and the effects thereof are beginning to be felt… (more)
During the 1990s Namibia marked the introduction and acceptance of desktop geographical information system (GIS) technology into various sectors at national, regional and local community levels. This technology quickly disseminated across many disciplines, and desktop GIS has now been established as an important component of research, strategic planning and evidence based decision making in the public and private sectors… (more)
In this article we assess two repositories of volunteered geographical information (VGI) (the 2nd South African Bird Atlas Project and OpenStreetMap) against the seven commonly-used dimensions of the quality of geographical information.. (more)
The use of automation in deep level hard rock mines in South Africa has, over the years, been overshadowed by mechanised mining. However, the industry has started to recognise the validity of automation as an option… (more)
How staff manages energy saving technologies is as important to commerce and industry as adopting energy efficiency policies and investing in energy saving technologies. This is the view of Alfred Hartzenburg, senior project manager for the CSIR’s National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) in Pretoria… (more)
The use of automation in deep level hard rock mines in South Africa has, over the years been overshadowed by mechanised mining. However, the industry has started to recognise the validity of automation as an option, both in the mining operations and in efforts to improve mine safety… (more)
A national project was introduced in 2010 to improve the capacity of South African industry to use energy resources more efficiently and productively, now and in future years. This article focuses on energy management and cost-effective systems optimisation techniques… (more)
Is there anything to be learnt for volunteered geographic information (VGI) repositories from the approaches, methodologies and technologies applied in open source projects and Web 2.0 encyclopaedias, which have been around for longer and have a larger user base… (more)
Approximately 10% of the global hydropower potential is located on the African continent, with the majority of that in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, only a low 4 to 7% of this potential has been developed… (more)
Botswana is currently drafting a proposal for an address assignment scheme for location and postal addresses as part of the “Addressing Botswana” project. This article examines the address assignment scheme and proposes criteria for an address assignment scheme in Botswana… (more)
This article discusses the development of a disaggregation procedure for socio-economic data based on the principles of dasymetric mapping and areal interpolation in order to develop a flexible geo-data frame which allows the data to be assigned to different demarcations seamlessly. The geo-data frame is based on the Spot Building Count points dataset from Eskom. (Part 1 of this article was published in the April/May 2012 issue of PositionIT. Part 2 focuses on the results and the way forward)… (more)
This article discusses the development of a disaggregation procedure for socio-economic data based on the principles of dasymetric mapping and areal interpolation in order to develop a flexible geo-data frame which allows the data to be assigned to different demarcations seamlessly. The geo-data frame is based on the Spot Building Count points dataset from Eskom. The need to work with data in an integrated fashion is a topic that has enjoyed much attention in the past two decades, especially with the rise in popularity in the use of geographical information systems (GIS)… (more)
An enthusiastic Earth Observation Expert Group has been actively generating ideas and proposals for the developing National Space Programme (NSP). Around the issue of human capacity development the group envisions an integrated earth observation education and training system starting at secondary school level and carrying through to professional development… (more)
The internet, the World Wide Web and cheap computing resources have spawned the creation of user-generated content (UGC) in general, and volunteered geographical information (VGI) in particular. A key aspect of such data, when compared against professionally-generated and/or official content, is the provenance or quality of the data, and the documenting thereof – the metadata. We consider here some of the quality challenges for VGI, and how these might be addressed… (more)
This article examines how GIS and remote sensing can be used from an environmental criminological perspective to better understand the spread of rhino poaching incidents in South Africa. Another Africa sunrise over the bushveld, the early sunrays reveal the dehorned carcass of a heavily pregnant rhino cow. Sadly, scenes like these are happening with increasing frequency and statistics reveal a staggering growth in rhino killings in South Africa since 2008… (more)
The national Department of Human Settlements contracted the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for the development of the Human Settlements Atlas (previously called the Housing Atlas) series. The aim of the series is to provide a spatial interpretation of current policy as it relates to the establishment of sustainable human settlements, specifically settlement locality. The objective is to guide settlement investment decisions made by various stakeholders, in order to move from a very dysfunctional, inequitable space economy towards more sustainable human settlements. The Sustainable Human Settlements: Investment Potential Atlas published in 2009 provided an analysis of the South African space economy, with a specific focus on the potential of different areas to contribute to sustainable livelihoods of people (quality of life) and the potential of different areas to contribute to sustainable physical environments (quality of place)… (more)
The transmission system of Eskom is subject to a number of extraneous influences that cause line faults and consequently have a negative impact on power quality, leading to considerable costs to customers. One example is fires under power lines… (more)
The Gauteng Innovation Hub was established in 2005 and is located alongside the N1 opposite the CSIR in Tshwane. During my conversation with the CEO, McLean Sibanda, I was blown away by the activities, but even more by the programmes offered and the results achieved… (more)
Every day, miners go underground after the blast on our gold and platinum mines to find that the reef has disappeared or the hanging wall conditions have suddenly deteriorated. What can be done to take the surprise out of these events? These risks to people and production can be minimised if miners know where the orebody is going to be tomorrow, over the next week and the next three months. Miners are then well prepared for the blast that exposes a fault, have already developed to the new reef elevation, and can continue mining without delay… (more)
Institutionalising a Geospatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) was a major watershed for research data management at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). For the first time in the CSIR’s history, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) department took over the management and maintenance of research-related software and data. For the first time, geospatial data was related to publication outputs. Heidi van Deventer shares the experiences, lessons learnt and the remaining challenges… (more)
The Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) has a vision to provide South African researchers with world-class facilities and make South Africa a destination for high-end computing in the southern hemisphere… (more)
The CSIR undertook research to explain and illustrate the spatial behaviour of the “trio” crimes (carjacking and truck hijacking; robbery at residential premises; and robbery at non-residential premises). The research is based on spatial analysis at specific geographical interval levels. It uses a combination of remote sensing technology integrated with geographical information systems (GIS) analytical models that are overlaid with geo-coded crime data to provide a spatial technological basis for analysis… (more)
Research at the Mathematical Optics Group uses “twisted” light to study new quantum-based information security systems. In order to understand the structure of “‘twisted” light, it is useful to start with an ordinary light beam with zero twist, namely a plane wave… (more)
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Lasers dominate our modern world – whether it is the tiny diode laser that drives our CD and DVD players, laser pointers or lasers used in eye and other surgery, or large metal-cutting lasers – the applications are many and varied… (more)
Updates on space and beyond: How SA should take its satellite launch facility out of mothballs; NASA’S Chandra reveals origin of key cosmic explosions; another node for the International Space Station; NASA and Italian Space Agency find new use for module and FRD sponsors students for SA Amsat Space Symposium… (more)
Andries Naude, known to and respected by many CSIR colleagues across units, passed away peacefully after a long struggle with cancer. Based at CSIR Built Environment in Stellenbosch, Andries tackled every task – professionally as well as personally – passionately and with vigour, even after he was diagnosed with cancer 18 months ago… (more)
The complexity of modern information systems requires more extensive and advanced modelling technologies. Developers and analysts find it increasingly difficult to ensure that their models are complete, and they find it to be nearly impossible to comprehend all the consequences of assertions made in their models… (more)
With the installation of the Sun Microsystems´ hybrid supercomputer at the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) in Cape Town, South Africa is now amongst the world leaders in this field. Dr. Sibusiso Sibisi, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) president and CEO, said that through the addition of this Sun Microsystems hybrid supercomputer, the CHPC has become a facility that holds its own among the best in the world… (more)
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