A Multi-Sensor Exportable Approach for Automatic Flooded Areas Detection and Monitoring by a Composite Satellite Constellation

Timely and frequently updated information about flood-affected areas and their space-time evolution are often crucial in order to correctly manage the emergency phases. In such a context, optical data provided by meteorological satellites, offering the highest available temporal resolution (from hours to minutes), could have a great potential. As cloud cover often occurs reducing the number of usable optical satellite images, an appropriate integration of observations coming from different satellite systems will surely improve the probability to find cloud-free images over the investigated region. To make this integration effective, appropriate satellite data analysis methodologies, suitable for providing congruent results, regardless of the used sensor, are envisaged. In this paper, a sensor-independent approach (RST, Robust Satellites Techniques-FLOOD) is presented and applied to data acquired by two different satellite systems (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) onboard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration platforms and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard Earth Observing System satellites) at different spatial resolutions (from 1 km to 250 m) in the case of Elbe flood event occurred in Germany on August 2002. Results achieved demonstrated as the full integration of AVHRR and MODIS RST-FLOOD products allowed us to double the number of satellite passes daily available, improving continuity of monitoring over flood-affected regions. In addition, the application of RST-FLOOD to higher spatial resolution MODIS (250 m) data revealed to be crucial not only for mapping purposes but also for improving RST-FLOOD capability in identifying flooded areas not previously detected at lower spatial resolution

Integration of optical and passive microwave satellite data for flooded area detection and monitoring

Flooding represents a serious threat to millions of people around the world and its hazard is rising as a result of climate changes. From this perspective, flood risk management is a key focus of many governments, whose priority is to have frequently updated and accurate information about the flood state and evolution to promptly react to the disaster and to put in place effective countermeasures devoted to limit damages and human lives losses. Remote sensing technology allows for flood monitoring at different spatial and temporal resolutions with an adequate level of accuracy. In particular, for emergency response purposes, an integrated use of satellite data, acquired by both optical and passive or active microwave instruments, has to be preferred to have more complete and frequently updated information on soil conditions and to better support decision makers. In this framework, multi-year time series of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and AMSR-E (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System) data were processed and analyzed. In detail, the Robust Satellite Techniques (RST), a multi-sensor approach for satellite data analysis, has been implemented for studying the August 2002 Elbe river flood occurred in Germany, trying to assess the potential of such an integrated system for the determination of soil status and conditions (i.e. moisture variation, water presence) as well as for a timely detection and a near real time monitoring of critical soil conditions

Using RST approach and EOS-MODIS radiances for monitoring seismically active regions: a study on the 6 April 2009 Abruzzo earthquake

In the last few years, Robust Satellite data analysis Techniques (RST) have been proposed and successfully applied for monitoring major natural and environmental risks. Among the various fields of application, RST analysis has been used as a suitable tool for satellite TIR surveys in seismically active regions, devoted to detect and monitor thermal anomalies possibly related to earthquake occurrence. In this work, RST has been applied, for the first time, to thermal infrared observations collected by MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) - the sensor onboard EOS (Earth Observing System) satellites - in the case of Abruzzo (Italy) earthquake occurred on 6 April 2009 (M(L)similar to 5.8). First achievements, shown in this work, seem to confirm the sensitivity of the proposed approach in detecting perturbations of the Earths emission thermal field few days before the event. The reliability of such results, based on the analysis of 10 years of MODIS observations, seems to be supported by the results achieved analyzing the same area in similar observation conditions but in seismically unperturbed periods (no earthquakes with M(L)>= 5) that will be also presente

A MODIS-based Robust Satellite Techniques for near real time oil spill detection and monitoring.

The accidental release of oil into the oceans from tankers may have remarkable ecological impact on maritime and coastal environments. Satellite remote sensing may be an useful tool for the monitoring of such a kind of marine hazards. In particular, MODIS sensor allows us a good combination of spectral-spatial-temporal resolution to provide frequent and detailed mapping of oil affected areas. Using data acquired in the first two MODIS channels, a new techniques for the near real time oil spill detection and monitoring has been recently proposed and applied, with encouraging results, to analyze several spill events. First results have, in fact, shown the potential of such an approach for a timely and continuous detection of these events. In this paper, we verify the sensitivity of such a technique in detecting also the presence of oil spill of low intensity and/or small extent, like those often related to illicit vessel discharges

RST-BASED FLOODED AREA MAPPING AND MONITORING IN NEAR REAL-TIME BY USING MODIS DATA

Flood forecast and mitigation actions need updated and timely information about precise location, extent and dynamic evolution of the flooding event. Remote sensing technology, based on microwave and optical satellite data, is currently capable of giving reliable contributions towards a rapid detection of affected areas in order to improve flood hazards management and to study remote areas where ground-based observation systems are still lacking. For a near real time monitoring and mapping of flooded areas, fundamental during the crisis and post-crisis phases to support civil protection activities, frequent observations of the Earth’s surface can be derived from optical sensors aboard meteorological satellites. Recently, a new Robust Satellite Technique using AVHRR (Advanced very High Resolution Radiometer) observations has been proposed for mapping and monitoring flooded areas, providing good results. Afterwards, the same approach has been exported on MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data, in order to investigate if its higher spatial resolution in visible and near-infrared channels might be exploited to increase the accuracy in both near real time detection and mapping of flooded areas. Preliminary results confirmed the reliability and the sensitivity of the proposed approach but further analyses have to be carried out in order to better assess the actual reliability and efficiency of such a technique. To this aim, in this paper, the extreme flooding event which hit wide territories of Germany and Czech Republic, during the August 2002, has been studied

On the potential of multi-temporal analysis of MODIS and AVHRR data for near real time mapping and monitoring of flooded areas

Floods are devastating natural disasters which may cause very high costs in lives and damages. Among the other potential contributes, satellite remote sensing may help for mapping and monitoring flooded areas. In order to support flood risk management, information coming from satellite, especially during crisis phases, need to be timely provided. Besides, suitable techniques, able to reliably detect flooded areas with a low rate of false alarms, are requested. In this context, a new technique using visible AVHRR data has been recently proposed. In this work, in order to further confirm the reliability and the sensitivity of the proposed approach we analyze the August 2002 flood which hit wide territories of Germany. Afterwards, we exported this approach on MODIS data, in order to exploit the higher spatial resolution in the visible and near-infrared channels offered by such a sensor, for increasing the accuracy in both near real time flooded area mapping and monitorin