China to Launch First Ocean Color SatelliteChina is planning to start its first ocean color satellite next year to promote its oceanic survey, according to senior Chinese scientists.According to an official with the State Oceanic Administration, "China will launch its own ocean color satellite in 2001." As one of the most advanced technology in oceanic research, ocean color satellite is used to survey primary productivity of ocean and offshore sands by observing optical features of the ocean's waters, said Su Jilan, a scholar at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and vice chairman of the Chinese Society of Oceanography. Over the past twenty years, China's remote oceanic sensing technologies have been improved as new and high technologies, such as remote sensing, biological and information technologies, have been widely used in the oceanic research, experts said. China has established a three dimensional observation system, which can carry out scientific surveys from outer space down to 6, 000 meters below sea level. Statistics show that China has tens of thousands of technological employees working with more than 300 oceanic research and educational institutes nationwide. |
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