Two guests from the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) invited by Dr. Philemon Tsele, visited the department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology (GGM) on 6 November 2021 to carry out in-door training on the Analytical Spectral Device (ASD) spectrometer for the GMA 705 (Advanced remote sensing) honours students (Fig 1). The purpose of the visit was to expose the GMA 705 students to the real ASD equipment, its components, and how to assemble the components in a way that is appropriate for in-door remote-sensing spectral reflectance measurements. In particular, the guests, namely Mr. Eric Economon and Dr. George Chirima brought to class the ARC’s ASD spectrometer, illuminator reflectance lamp and several samples of the leaves, soil and rocks (Fig 2). The ASD spectrometer is known to be instrumental in the collection of field or laboratory (under controlled artificial illumination) reflectance measurements of a material over the spectral range of 250 – 2500 nm. 

Fig 1: The GMA 705 students in the GGM department attending the ASD spectrometer in-door demonstrations by the ARC guests.

Fig 2: In-door demonstration of the Analytical Spectral Device (ASD) spectrometer by Mr Eric Economon (Chief Research Technician) from the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa.

The day commenced with series of lectures by Mr Economon on the ASD equipment and other cutting-edge remote sensing instruments. Demonstration of reflectance measurements of different samples or materials using the ASD spectrometer was done. Thereafter, the reflectance data was displayed and discussed to gain in-sight into the spectral reflectance characteristics of the materials. The training was concluded with a special talk by Dr. Chirima titled "Experimental design and pitfalls on remote sensing data and processing" (Fig 3).  

Fig 3: A special talk to the GMA 705 students by Dr. George Chirima (Research team manager of the Geoinformation science division at the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa).