Dr Xiaoliang Wu works to develop and deliver satellite-based environmental monitoring systems.

Dr Xiaoliang Wu: using remotely-sensed data to better understand our environment

Dr Xiaoliang Wu uses his expertise in digital photogrammetry and computer vision to make sense of remotely-sensed (airborne and satellite) environmental monitoring data.

• 7 December 2007 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Current activities 
• Background
• Academic qualifications 
• Achievements 

Current activities

Dr Xiaoliang Wu is a research scientist with the Terrestrial Mapping and Monitoring group within CSIRO's Mathematical and Information Sciences Division.  

He uses his extensive experience in the design and development of high performing digital photogrammetry systems to contribute to the development and delivery of both airborne and satellite-based environmental monitoring systems.

For airborne and satellite remotely sensed data, Dr Wu's main area of expertise is in:

• geometric rectification, assigning pixels in an image a geographic coordinate and
• radiometric calibration, linking pixels intensities to a physical parameter 

Dr Wu's role also includes:

• the development and applications of image-processing algorithms and
• programming under various computing environments

Dr Wu is currently working on the Urban Monitor project, which aims to develop multiple-view three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and segmentation algorithms for fine-scale monitoring of urban environments.

Urban Monitor will allow monitoring of environmental indicators and improved understanding of condition and trends in urban assets and land uses at an unprecedented scale and accuracy.

Dr Wu also contributes to the development and delivery of satellite-based monitoring systems such as the National Carbon Accounting System Land Cover Change Project (NCAS−LCCP). 

NCAS−LCCP, based on Landsat imagery, covers the entire Australian continent at resolution of 25m for multiple time steps from 1972 to present day. 

This resolution provides environmental management-relevant information for Australia’s agricultural, forest and rangeland regions.

Background

Dr Wu joined CSIRO in 1996 as a Research Scientist. 

He has been working in the area of photogrammetry and remote sensing research and development since 1987. 

Academic qualifications

Dr Wu has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science with Honours from Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping, China in 1987
• Master of Science, also from the Wuhan Technical University in 1990
• Doctor of Philosophy also from theWuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping, in 1993

Achievements

Dr Wu has received the:

• CSIRO Chairman's Medal awarded to the Mapping and Monitoring Team in 2004 - the team was rewarded for developing technologies over a twenty-year period to help address key environmental issues such as salinity and soil degradation
• Sixth China National Natural Science Prize (second class), in 1993, China’s most prestigious award in natural science.

Read more about CSIRO's work in Terrestrial mapping and monitoring.