Media Release - Lake X 2009

MEDIA RELEASE: IMMEDIATE 8-19-09

SAVE THE LAKE: LAKE ERIE EXPERIMENT (LAKE-X 2009)

ENVIRONMENTAL BLUE GREEN ALGAE AND INVASIVE SPECIES CHARACTERIZATION

— AEROSTAT PROVES EFFECTIVE IN IDENTIFYING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES —

Lake Erie is Ohio’s North Coast’s greatest asset. It provides more fish and generates more boating activity than all of the Great Lakes combined. She is a gem in need of protection. Unfortunately, she is being invaded…with blue green algae, zebra mussels and other invasive and toxic species.
Lake Erie toxic waste makes humans and animals sick, destroys beaches with green scum, clogs the intakes of boats, degrades the fishing industry, and worst of all impacts the fresh water intakes of several states with foul smelling and tasting water. Her destruction is not yet comprehensively understood but the cost to human health and environment is significant.

The High Altitude Federation is an organization that is attempting to help save Lake Erie. They are committed to utilizing their consortium of technical organizations – federal agencies, universities and small businesses – to leverage their expertise and find methods to characterize the pervasiveness of the invasive organisms so that organizations like EPA can eradicate them.
Researchers began testing an algae warning system using satellite images and infrared photos to reveal the particular ‘spectral signature’ of the toxic forms of algae. Utilizing high tech imaging, called HyperSpectral Imaging or HSI, as well as still camera and video technology, the team of scientists and engineers are gathering samples of the invasive organisms from Lake Erie’s boats and are simultaneously flying imagers from a plane and an Aerostat to characterize the precise location, depth and pervasiveness of the algae. The unique aspect of this research includes the use of an Aerostat (large blimp) affixed on a barge in Lake Erie. The barge can move the aerostat to select locations in order to image algae areas with persistent views of the invasive pests. This technology is leveraged from dual use work sponsored by Toledo, Ohio Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and conducted for the Warfighter. The High Altitude technology focus will assist soldiers with visuals of a battlefield and secure high-speed data communications. The technology is also applicable to Homeland Security efforts that require persistent visual coverage of an area.
The team of scientists will present their findings on Thursday, August 20th at the host site of theLake Erie Center in Toledo, Ohio. The consortium of organizations is led by the Army Space and Missile Defense Battle Lab and includes the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Toledo, SkySentry, LLC, and Western DataCom.

For information contact Susan Hennie at Hennie@SkySentry.net or register at www.HighAltitudeFederation.com