Office: Room 1-14, Geography Building Tel: +27 (0)12 420 4939 Email: [email protected]

Research profile

Dr Philemon L Tsele received his PhD degree in geoinformatics from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 2019. He was a research fellow with the remote sensing research unit of the Meraka Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research from 2009 to 2014, and subsequently with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, in Hartbeesthoek, from 2014 to 2018. Currently, Dr Tsele is a senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria in the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics, and Meteorology. He presents courses in physical principles of remote sensing, digital image processing, and advanced remote sensing. Furthermore, his research interests include thermal modelling of site-based optical telescopes, modelling vegetation biophysical and biochemical variables in natural environments, and validating remotely-sensed satellite products.

 

Qualifications

• Bsc (IT) Information and Knowledge Systems (2005-2007), (University of Pretoria)
• Bsc (Hons) GeoInformatics (2008), (University of Pretoria)
• Msc GeoInformatics (2009-2011) - Cum Laude, (University of Pretoria)
• PhD Geoinformatics (2014 – 2019), (University of Pretoria)

 

Courses presented

• UNI 792 - GIS Research Project (2011 - 2012)
• GIS 220 - Geographical Data Analysis (2011 - 2016)
• GIS 221 - Introductory GIS (2011 - 2016)
• GMA 220 - Remote Sensing (2013 - present)
• GMA 320 - Remote Sensing (2017 - present)
• GMA 705 - Advanced Remote Sensing (2017 - present)
• Introductory Remote Sensing: Physical Principles and Digital Image Processing (Short Course)

 

Upcoming short courses through Enterprises UP

• Introductory Remote Sensing: Physical Principles and Digital Image Processing
• Aerial surveying (UAV) for 3-D surface modelling and detailed mapping
• Remote sensing data analysis in R-Studio: A machine learning perspective

 

Postgraduate student supervision

For a comprehensive list please click here.

 

Funded research projects

Project Name: Web-based system for monitoring of vegetation biophysical variables using optical remote sensing
Funded by: NRF for the period 2024-2026
Role: Project leader (involving x1 MSc)

Project Name: Remote sensing of vegetation traits (grass biophysical variables) in the Golden Gate Highlands and Marakele National Parks
Funded by: UP, Research Development Grant for the period 2020-2022
Role: Project leader

Project Name: Large-scale Earth Observation-based woody cover datasets and their ecological applications
Funded by: NRF, SASSCAL-South Africa for the Period: 2019-2021
Role: Co-investigator (involving x1 PhD student)

Project Name: Sustainable food security and woodland utilization for drought-prone communal areas under climate change in SADC countries
Funded by: SASSCAL for the period 2022-2024
Role: Co-investigator (involving x1 MSc student)

Project Name: Quantifying the extent and rate of changes in wetland types of the Maputuland Coastal Plain with remote sensing
Funded by: Water Research Commission (WRC) Grant for the period 2020-2023
Role: Co-investigator (involving x1 MSc student)

Project Name: Detecting Forecasting and Monitoring crop diseases in small farming areas using remote sensing
Funded by: NRF for the period 2021-2023
Role: Co-investigator (involving x2 MSc student)

Project Name: Validation of burned-area and active-fire detections from satellite
Funded by: CSIR for the Period: 2011-2015
Role: Project leader

 

Awards

• Reviewer for the Journal of Applied Remote Sensing
• Reviewer for the International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation
• Academic Honorary Colours certificate
• National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa - 2015 Thuthuka grant, ID: 93952
• NRF Y2 rating
• NRF Support for Y-rated Researchers 2024-2026

 

Editorial Roles

• Review editor for Multi- and Hyper-Spectral Imaging section of the Frontiers in Remote Sensing journal
• Guest associate editor in Multi- and Hyper-Spectral Imaging section of the Frontiers in Remote Sensing journal (October 2023 - April 2024)

 

Research publications (journals)

Scopus H-index | Google Scholar H-index | ORCID ID

• Tsele, P., Ramoelo, R., (Accepted; in press). Hybrid retrieval of grass LAI and Chlorophyll by integrating active learning and nonparametric regression methods and Sentinel-2 data in a protected mountainous region: case study of Marakele National Park. Geocarto International
• Tsele, P., Combrinck, L., Botha, R. & Ngcobo, B. (in press). Analysis of thermally-induced displacements of the HartRAO Lunar Laser Ranger optical tube: impact on pointing. South African Journal of Geomatics, 12(2), 221-244.
• Tsele, P., Ramoelo, A. & Qabaqaba, M. 2023. Development of the grass LAI and CCC remote sensing-based models and their transferability using sentinel-2 data in heterogeneous grasslands. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 44, 2643-2667.
• Qabaqaba, M., Naidoo, L., Tsele, P., Ramoelo, A. & Cho, M. A. 2023. Integrating random forest and synthetic aperture radar improves the estimation and monitoring of woody cover in indigenous forests of South Africa. Applied Geomatics, 15, 209-225.
• Tsele, P., Ramoelo, A., Qabaqaba, M., Mafanya, M. & Chirima, G. 2022. Validation of LAI, chlorophyll and FVC biophysical estimates from sentinel-2 level 2 prototype processor over a heterogeneous savanna and grassland environment in South Africa. Geocarto international, 37, 14355-14378.
• Mafanya, M., Tsele, P., Zengeya, T. & Ramoelo, A. 2022. An assessment of image classifiers for generating machine-learning training samples for mapping the invasive Campuloclinium macrocephalum (Less.) DC (pompom weed) using DESIS hyperspectral imagery. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 185, 188-200.
• Adeola, O. M., Ramoelo, A., Mantlana, B., Mokotedi, O., Silwana, W. & Tsele, P. 2022. Review of publications on the water-energy-food nexus and climate change adaptation using bibliometric analysis: A case study of Africa. Sustainability, 14, 13672.
• De Villiers, C., Munghemezulu, C., Chirima, G., Tsele, P. & Mashaba-Munghemezulu, Z. 2020. Machine learning algorithms for mapping Prosopis glandulosa and land cover change using multi-temporal Landsat products: a case study of Prieska in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. South African Journal of Geomatics, 9, 179-197.
• Mafanya, M., Tsele, P., Botai, J. O., Manyama, P., Chirima, G. J. & Monate, T. 2018. Radiometric calibration framework for ultra-high-resolution UAV-derived orthomosaics for large-scale mapping of invasive alien plants in semi-arid woodlands: Harrisia pomanensis as a case study. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 39, 5119-5140.
• Mafanya, M., Tsele, P., Botai, J., Manyama, P., Swart, B. & Monate, T. 2017. Evaluating pixel and object based image classification techniques for mapping plant invasions from UAV derived aerial imagery: Harrisia pomanensis as a case study. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 129, 1-11.
• Adeola, A. M., Olwoch, J. M., Botai, J. O., Rautenbach, C. D., Kalumba, A. M., Tsela, P. L., Adisa, O. & Nsubuga, F. W. N. 2017. Landsat satellite derived environmental metric for mapping mosquitoes breeding habitats in the Nkomazi municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. South African Geographical Journal, 99, 14-28.
• Nsubuga, F. W. N., Botai, J. O., Olwoch, J. M., Rautenbach, C. D., Kalumba, A. M., Tsela, P., Adeola, A. M., Sentongo, A. A. & Mearns, K. F. 2017. Detecting changes in surface water area of Lake Kyoga sub-basin using remotely sensed imagery in a changing climate. Theoretical and applied climatology, 127, 327-337.
• Tsela, P., Combrinck, L., Botha, R. & Ngcobo, B. 2016. Thermal analysis of the LLR optical telescope tube assembly based in Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory. Acta Geodaetica et Geophysica, 51, 393-403.
• Tsela, P., Combrinck, W., Botha, R. & Ngcobo, B. 2016. A proposed mathematical model of thermal variations on the HartRAO Lunar Laser Ranging telescope for enhanced test of Earth-Moon system dynamics. South African Journal of Geology, 119, 83-90.
• Tsela, P. L., Combrinck, L. & Ngcobo, B. 2016. A spatiotemporal analysis of the effect of ambient temperatures on the thermal behaviour of the Lunar Laser Ranging optical telescope at Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory. South African Journal of Geomatics, 5, 373-392.
• Adeyemi, A., Botai, J., Ramoelo, A., Van Der Merwe, F. & Tsela, P. 2015. Effect of impervious surface area and vegetation changes on mean surface temperature over Tshwane metropolis, Gauteng Province, South Africa. South African Journal of Geomatics, 4, 351-368.
• Adeola, A. M., Botai, J. O., Rautenbach, H. C. D. W., Kalumba, A. M., Tsela, P. L., Adisa, M. O., Wasswa, N. F., Mmtoni, P., Ssentongo, A. & Olwoch, J. M. 2015. Application of geographical information system and remote sensing in malaria research and control in South Africa: a review. Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases, 30, 7-14.
• Tsela, P., Wessels, K., Botai, J., Archibald, S., Swanepoel, D., Steenkamp, K. & Frost, P. 2014. Validation of the two standard MODIS satellite burned-area products and an empirically-derived merged product in South Africa. Remote Sensing, 6, 1275-1293.
• Kalumba, A., Olwoch, J., Van Aardt, I., Botai, O., Tsela, P., Nsubuga, F. & Adeola, A. 2013. Trend analysis of climate variability over the west bank-East London Area, South Africa (1975-2011). Journal of Geography and Geology, 5, 131.

 

Theses, Book chapters, Research reports

• Tsele, P. L. (2019). Towards development of a thermal monitoring system and analysis of meteorological parameters for the HartRAO lunar laser ranging telescope (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria).
• Tsela, P. L. (2011). Validation of the moderate-resolution satellite burned area products across different biomes in South Africa (Masters dissertation, University of Pretoria).
• Tsela, P. L., van Helden, P., Frost, P., Wessels, K., & Archibald, S. (2010, July). Validation of the MODIS burned-area products across different biomes in South Africa. In 2010 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (pp. 3652-3655). IEEE.

 

Conference presentations

• Philemon Tsele and Abel Ramoelo. Integrating active learning and machine learning regression methods for hybrid retrieval of grass biophysical variables in a protected mountainous region using Sentinel-2 data. Oral presentation at the National Space Conference, CSIR Convention Centre, 30 August – 01 September 2023
• Philemon Tsele, Abel Ramoelo, Mcebisi Qabaqaba. Evaluation of Sentinel-2 spectral reflectance and indices to estimate grass LAI and CCC in heterogeneous grassland. Oral presentation at the 13th AARSE International Conference in Kigali, Rwanda 24-28 October 2022
• Philemon Tsele, Ludwig Combrinck, Bongani Ngcobo. Prototyping a thermal monitoring system for the one-metre aperture Lunar Laser Ranger tube assembly based at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory. Poster presented at the 20th International Workshop on Laser Ranging, GFZ Helmholtz Centre, Potsdam, Telegrafenberg - October 9-14, 2016
• Philemon Tsela, Ludwig Combrinck, Bongani Ngcobo. Tube assembly experiments for optimal temperature sensor placement on the HartRAO Lunar Laser Ranger telescope. Oral presentation at the 61st Annual conference of the South African institute of physics, University of Cape Town - July 4 - 8, 2016
• Gave an oral presentation at the 2015 Science and Technology Train & Space Geodesy Workshop in Matjiesfontein/ South Africa on the topic "Progress toward measurement and analysis of temperature distributions of the tube structure of the HartRAO Lunar Laser Ranging optical telescope", 4 - 10 October 2015, Matjiesfontein, Western Cape.
• Gave an oral presentation at the 2014 2nd National Conference on Global Change on the topic "Mathematical model of thermal variations on the HartRAO Lunar Laser Ranger optical telescope", 1 - 5 December 2014, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Gave an oral presentation at the 2014 Science and Technology Train & SpaceGeodesy Workshop in Matjiesfontein/ South Africa on the topic "Developmentof an automated thermal measurement system for the Lunar Laser Ranger atHartRAO".
• Gave an oral presentation at the 2010 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium in Hawaii/USA on "Validation of the MODIS Burned-area products across different biomes in South Africa".
• Participated in the 2011 SANSA-COSPAR training workshop on Advanced Land-Surface Characterisation in Cape Town.