豪大学、森林火災予測衛星を開発中　５年後の実用化目指す

【シドニーＡＦＰ＝時事】オーストラリア国立大学は4日、同国初となる、森林火災の発生を予測する「靴箱サイズ」の衛星を開発していると明らかにした。森林の地表を覆う植物と湿度を赤外線探知機で測定し、そのデータを森林火災が発生しやすい場所や火災の抑制が困難な場所を特定する際に役立てたいとしている。（写真は豪ニューサウスウェールズ州クーマ郊外で、森林火災の煙に覆われた野を跳びはねるカンガルー）
　同大学によると、このテクノロジーは、「非常に可燃性の高いユーカリなどのオーストラリア原産の木や植物に生じた変化を検知することに特に重点を置いている」という。
　衛星の地球低軌道への打ち上げは民間セクターと協力して行う計画で、遠隔調査の専門家であるマルタ・エブラ氏によると、データは消防当局と共有する。
　エブラ氏は、「この赤外線技術とそこから得られるデータは、現時点では利用できないが、将来的には目標を絞って行う野焼きに役立てることで、森林火災の発生頻度と規模を減らすとともに、国民や経済、環境に及ぼす森林火災の長期的影響を低減できる」と語った。
　衛星の実用化には５年かかる見通しだ。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/03/05-08:44）

Australian scientists are developing the country's first satellite designed to predict where bushfires are likely to start, following months of devastating fires.
The Australian National University said Wednesday a team is creating a shoebox-sized satellite that will measure forest ground cover and moisture levels using infrared detectors.
It is hoped the data will help determine where bushfires are likely to start and where they may be difficult to contain.
The technology would be specifically tuned to detect changes in Australian plants and trees such as eucalypts, which are highly flammable, the university said in a statement.
It plans to partner with the private sector to launch the new satellite into low-Earth orbit and, according to remote-sensing expert Marta Yebra, the data would be shared with firefighters.
This infrared technology and data, which is not currently available, will help to target-controlled burns that can reduce the frequency and severity of bushfires, as well as their long-term impacts on Australia's people, economy, and environment, she said.
It is expected to take five years before scientists will be able to use the satellite.
Over summer, bushfire-prone Australia experienced one of its worst fire seasons on record.
More than 30 people died, thousands of homes were destroyed, over 10 million hectares were burned and at least a billion animals perished.
Researchers say global warming is lengthening the country's summers and making them increasingly dangerous, with shorter winters making it more difficult to carry out bushfire prevention work.