THE SPECTRAL IMAGE-PROCESSING SYSTEM (SIPS) - INTERACTIVE VISUALIZATION AND ANALYSIS OF IMAGING SPECTROMETER DATA

The Center for the Study of Earth from Space (CSES) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has developed a prototype interactive software s ystem called the Spectral Image Processing System (SIPS) using IDL (th e Interactive Data Language) on UNIX-based workstations. SIPS is desig ned to take advantage of the combination of high spectral resolution a nd spatial data presentation unique to imaging spectrometers. It strea mlines analysis of these data by allotving scientists to rapidly inter act with entire datasets. SIPS provides visualization toolsfor rapid e xploratory analysis and numerical tools for quantitative modeling. The user interface is X-Windows-based, user friendly, and provides ''poin t and click'' operation. SIPS is being used for multidisciplinary rese arch concentrating on use of physically based analysis methods to enha nce scientific resultsfrom imaging spectrometer data. The objective of this continuing effort is to develop operational techniques for quant itative analysis of imaging spectrometer data and to make them availab le to the scientific community prior to the launch of imaging spectrom eter satellite systems such as the Earth Observing System (EOS) High R esolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS).