Remote Sensing and GIS Center

Director’s message

Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have emerged as invaluable technologies for ecosystem analysis, evaluation and monitoring. Remote sensing which involves the use of satellite imagery continues to be an integral part of projects dealing with mineral and petroleum exploration, pollution detection, weather prediction, commercial fishing, rangeland monitoring, crop forecasting, urban development and management studies and many more. The spectrum of remote sensing technology, however, is broad and invariably requires careful tailoring of response to the problem. A major challenge to users of remote sensing is how to match the appropriate technology to the problem at hand. GIS entails database analysis, description, explanation, pattern prediction and processes at geographic scales.

The Remote Sensing and GIS Center at SQU coordinates remote sensing and GIS activities and research projects within SQU, and between the University, ministries, industry, and institutions outside the Sultanate. The Center also provides technical support and guidance to national user agencies and the community at large in order to enhance cooperation, in addition to organizing training courses, workshops, seminars and conferences relating to remote sensing and GIS at the national and international levels. The Directorate General of Meteorology and Air Navigation (Civil Aviation Affairs) and the Remote Sensing and GIS Center are coordinators of the 7th World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Center of Excellence (CoE), Muscat, which was inaugurated at SQU in February 2006. The Center is equipped with a state-of-the-art image processing laboratory for teaching, short courses and research. The image processing and GIS software consist of the most recent versions PCI Geomatica, ENVI, ArcGIS, and other complimentary software.