SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (date of earliest event reported):
JUNE 19, 1997
EARTH SEARCH SCIENCES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
State of Utah 0-19566 87-0437723
(State of Incorporation) (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
File No.) Identification No.)
502 North 3rd Street, Suite #8, McCall, Idaho 83638
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
(208) 634-7080
No Change
(Former Name or Former Address, if changed since last report)
<PAGE>
Item 5. OTHER EVENTS.
EARTH SEARCH'S BREAKTHROUGH AERIAL IMAGING INSTRUMENT JOINS
U.S. GOVERNMENT MISSION TO FORMER SOVIET TEST SITE
Earth Search Sciences, Inc. [EDIS:OTC] has deployed its newly developed
Probe-1 hyperspectral imaging instrument on a Department of Energy sponsored
scientific mission to Kazakstan, U.S. and company officials said today.
Kazakstan is a central Asian country that was once part of the Soviet
Union. The Kazakstan mission's objective is to help scientists in the onetime
Soviet republic by providing data and training in "imagery analysis" of economic
and environmental targets.
At the same time, the work will deliver a dividend of information
about mineral deposits in an extensive tract of the Asian nation known as the
Polygon. Earth Search Sciences is part of a consortium that has licenses to
develop a percentage of the region's mineral concessions.
Hyperspectral imaging creates ultra high-resolution images of the
earth's surface. Analysis of these images can determine the presence of target
minerals in geologic formations or evidence of stress in live vegetation.
Earth Search Sciences' Probe-1 instrument, a centerpiece technology on
the mission, is a state-of-the-art airborne sensor capable of gathering
information from light reflections from 128 bands of the visible and short-wave
infrared spectrums and from two broadband reflections.
Probe-1 provides resolution that enables identification of key mineral
features on land. Other important features of the Probe-1 include its broad
swath width, low noise characteristics and image quality that is a quantum
advancement from any remote imaging instrument developed yet.
Probe-1 technology is expected to revolutionize mineral exploration
worldwide, said Larry Vance, founder and chairman of Earth Search Sciences. The
Earth Search Probe-1 is miniaturized and significantly more economical than the
U. S. government's unclassified versions of hyperspectral imaging technology.
Earth Search's instrument, at less than 200 pounds, can be mounted on remote
platforms such as small civilian aircraft.
"This exciting technology is now fully developed, and Probe-1 is on
assignment,"Vance said. "The applications of the Probe-1 technology are vast,
but nowhere are they as great as in the mining exploration and environmental
arenas."
Applied Signal and Image Technology, Inc., (ASIT), of Millersville,
Maryland, has developed the ProspectreTM hyperspectral data processing system in
partnership with Earth Search to help the company deliver complete system
solutions to its clients, Vance said. The ProspectreTM software delivers near
real-time data analysis.
The ProspectreTM system is being employed to reduce the huge volume of
data obtained on the Kazakstan mission and will provide a fast, accurate
indication of high potential areas of mineralization that require further
exploration.
Over Kazakstan, the Probe-1 sensor will fly aboard the Naval Research
Laboratory's P-3 aircraft. Data collected by Probe-1 and other instrument will
then be jointly analyzed by scientists from the Department of Energy Nevada
Remote Sensing Laboratory; Battelle Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Naval
Research Laboratory; Sandia National Laboratory; Earth Search Sciences; Applied
Signal and Image Technology, and Integrated Spectronics Pty. Ltd.
"With our initial data collection, we are already demonstrating
Probe-l's ability to pick up distinctive signatures from minerals in the
environment," said Dr. John Peel, chief executive officer of Earth Search
Sciences. "It is our ability to detect these specific signatures with our
proprietary sensor and software that sets us apart. We now have the tools to
identify the characteristic minerals that we and our clients are searching for,
and that gives us a unique position in the marketplace."
As part of an agreement with the Kazakstani government, Earth Search
Sciences is part ofa consortium that has licenses to develop a percentage of the
region's mineral concession. The Republic of Kazakstan is believed to be one of
the world's three largest gold producers.
The Probe-1 was developed by Earth Search Sciences under a proprietary
contract by Integrated Spectronics Pty. Ltd., of Sydney, Australia, and
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), of
Melbourne, Australia.
The applications of Earth Search's technology are extensive and include
exploration for precious metals and other minerals; exploration for hydrocarbons
such as oil and coal; decision-making on land use and development; environmental
assessment, and many other critical matters.
In its early stage of development, Earth Search Sciences "cost-shared"
hyperspectral image collections using NASA/JPL's AVIRIS instrument. These
generic, non-proprietary data collections set the stage for the development of
the Probe-1 instrument by providing proof of principle images to ESSI during the
company's decision-making process. Earth Search determined to proceed with its
own proprietary, privately-funded instrument, Probe-1. Earth Search gained
access to NASA/JPL's AVIRIS technology by participating in NASA's Visiting
Investigator Program (VIP), available to companies that submitted qualified
scientific projects of merit to the agency, and through NASA's Space Act
Agreement program.
Prior to Probe-l's development, the most precise hyperspectral images
have identified the molecular content of locations on the ground that are some
20 meters apart. With ESSI's Probe-1 mounted in an airplane or on another remote
platform, the calibrated data-measuring process is significantly more precise,
processing ground data that is five meters apart.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned duly authorized.
EARTH SEARCH SCIENCES, INC.
By /s/ Larry F. Vance
Larry F. Vance
Chairman and Director
June 19, 1997
