Effect of the aerosol type selection for the retrieval of shortwave ground net radiation: case study using landsat 8 data

This paper discusses the aerosol radiative effects involved in the accuracy of shortwave net radiation, Rn.sw, with sw 2 (400–900) nm, retrieved by the Operational Land Imager (OLI), the new generation sensor of the Landsat mission. Net radiation is a key parameter for the energy exchange between the land and atmosphere; thus, Rn.sw retrieval from space is under investigation by exploiting the increased spatial resolution of the visible and near-infrared OLI data. We adopted the latest version of the Second Simulation of a Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum (6SV) atmospheric radiative transfer model implemented in the atmospheric correction algorithm (OLI Atmospherically-Corrected Reflectance Imagery (OLI@CRI)) developed specifically for OLI data. The values of Rn.sw were obtained by varying the microphysical properties of the aerosol during the OLI@CRI retrieval of both the OLI surface reflectance, roli pxl , and the incoming solar irradiance at the surface. The analysis of the aerosol effects on the Rn.sw was carried out on a spectrally-homogeneous desert area located in the southwestern Nile Delta. The results reveal that the Rn.sw available for energy exchange between the land and atmosphere reduces the accuracy (NRMSE ' 14%) when the local aerosol microphysical properties are not considered during the processing of space data. Consequently, these findings suggest that the aerosol type should be considered for variables retrieved by satellite observations concerning the energy exchange in the natural ecosystems, such as Photosynthetically-Active Radiation (PAR). This will also improve the accuracy of land monitoring and of solar energy for power generation when space data are used

Spatio-temporal analysis of prodelta dynamics by means of new satellite generation: the case of Po river by Landsat-8 data

Abstract This paper describes a procedure to perform spatio-temporal analysis of river plume dispersion in prodelta areas by multi-temporal Landsat-8-derived products for identifying zones sensitive to water discharge and for providing geostatistical patterns of turbidity linked to different meteo-marine forcings. In particular, we characterized the temporal and spatial variability of turbidity and sea surface temperature (SST) in the Po River prodelta (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy) during the period 2013–2016. To perform this analysis, a two-pronged processing methodology was implemented and the resulting outputs were analysed through a series of statistical tools. A pixel-based spatial correlation analysis was carried out by comparing temporal curves of turbidity and SST hypercubes with in situ time series of wind speed and water discharge, providing correlation coefficient maps. A geostatistical analysis was performed to determine the spatial dependency of the turbidity datasets per each satellite image, providing maps of correlation and variograms. The results show a linear correlation between water discharge and turbidity variations in the points more affected by the buoyant plumes and along the southern coast of Po River delta. Better inverse correlation was found between turbidity and SST during floods rather than other periods. The correlation maps of wind speed with turbidity show different spatial patterns depending on local or basin-scale wind effects. Variogram maps identify different spatial anisotropy structures of turbidity in response to ambient conditions (i.e. strong Bora or Scirocco winds, floods). Since the implemented processing methodology is based on open source software and free satellite data, it represents a promising tool for the monitoring of maritime ecosystems and to address water quality analyses and the investigations of sediment dynamics in estuarine and coastal waters

Assessment of water vapor content from MIVIS TIR data

The main objective of land remotely sensed images is to derive biological, chemical and physical parameters by inverting sample sets of spectral data. For the above aim hyperspectral scanners on airborne platform are a powerful remote sensing instrument for both research and environmental applications because of their spectral resolution and the high operability of the platform. Fine spectral information by MIVIS (airborne hyperspec- tral scanner operating in 102 channels ranging from VIS to TIR) allows researchers to characterize atmospher- ic parameters and their effects on measured data which produce undesirable features on surface spectral signa- tures. These effects can be estimated (and remotely sensed radiances corrected) if atmospheric spectral trans- mittance is known at each image pixel. Usually ground-based punctual observations (atmospheric sounding bal- loons, sun photometers, etc.) are used to estimate the main physical parameters (like water vapor and tempera- ture profiles) which permit us to estimate atmospheric spectral transmittance by using suitable radiative trans- fer model and a specific (often too strong) assumption which enable atmospheric properties measured only in very few points to be extended to the whole image. Several atmospheric gases produce observable absorption features, but only water vapor strongly varies in time and space. In this work the authors customize a self-suf- ficient «split-window technique» to derive (at each image pixel) atmospheric total columnar water vapor con- tent (TWVC) using only MIVIS data collected by the fourth MIVIS spectrometer (Thermal Infrared band). MIVIS radiances have been simulated by means of MODTRAN4 radiative transfer code and the coefficients of linear regression to estimate TWVC from «split-windows» MIVIS radiances, based on 450 atmospheric water vapor profiles obtained by radiosonde data provided by NOAA\NESDIS. The method has been applied to pro- duce maps describing the spatial variability of the water vapor columnar content along a trial scene. The pro- cedure has been validated by means of the MIVIS data acquired over Venice and the contemporary radiosonde data. A discrepancy within 5% has been measured between the estimate of TWVC derived from the proposed self-sufficient split-window technique and the coincident radiosonde measurements. If confirmed by further analyses such a result will permit us to fully exploit MIVIS TIR capability to offer a more effective (at image pixel level) and self-sufficient (no ancillary observations required) way to obtain atmospherically corrected MIVIS radiances

Characterization of nitrogen dioxide variability using ground-based and satellite remote sensing and in situ measurements in the Tiber valley (Lazio, Italy)

The spatial-temporal distributions of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in a rural area of Tiber valley were evaluated over one year (March 2022-February 2023) using remote sensing and in situ measurements. Surface concentration monitoring was conducted using a Pandora-2s spectrometer and a chemiluminescence analyzer operated at the Liberti Observatory (CNR-IIA). In spring, when the growing season and the agricultural activities increase, NO2 peaks were detectable by the Pandora but not by the in situ analyzer. The tropospheric Pandora and TROPOMI VCD products showed similar temporal patterns as those of the analyzer at the Observatory. High TROPOMI VCD levels in spring were detected at the Observatory and at six sites selected as representative of rural, residential, and industrial environments. WRF simulations found that high pollution events, observed by the Pandora and analyzer, occurred in calm wind conditions, favouring the accumulation of NO2 locally emitted. The complementary dataset provided by remote sensing and in situ techniques efficiently captured the spatial-temporal NO2 variability in a rural site exposed to low emission sources, thus supporting future decisional policies and actions

Aerosol Optical Retrieval and Surface Reflectance from Airborne Remote Sensing Data over Land

Quantitative analysis of atmospheric optical properties and surface reflectance can be performed by applying radiative transfer theory in the Atmosphere-Earth coupled system, for the atmospheric correction of hyperspectral remote sensing data. This paper describes a new physically-based algorithm to retrieve the aerosol optical thickness at 550nm (τ550) and the surface reflectance (ρ) from airborne acquired data in the atmospheric window of the Visible and Near-Infrared (VNIR) range. The algorithm is realized in two modules. Module A retrieves τ550 with a minimization algorithm, then Module B retrieves the surface reflectance ρ for each pixel of the image. The method was tested on five remote sensing images acquired by an airborne sensor under different geometric conditions to evaluate the reliability of the method. The results, τ550 and ρ, retrieved from each image were validated with field data contemporaneously acquired by a sun-sky radiometer and a spectroradiometer, respectively. Good correlation index, r, and low root mean square deviations, RMSD, were obtained for the τ550 retrieved by Module A (r2 = 0.75, RMSD = 0.08) and the ρ retrieved by Module B (r2 ≤ 0.9, RMSD ≤ 0.003). Overall, the results are encouraging, indicating that the method is reliable for optical atmospheric studies and the atmospheric correction of airborne hyperspectral images. The method does not require additional at-ground measurements about at-ground reflectance of the reference pixel and aerosol optical thickness

Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC (Asteraceae) extract-loaded nanoemulsions as a promising topical wound Healing delivery system : in vitro assessments in human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and HET-CAM irritant potential

Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC Asteraceae extracts (ASEs) have been investigated for the treatment of various skin disorders. This study reports the effects of ASE-loaded nanoemulsions (NEASE) on the cellular viability, death by necrosis, and migration of immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT cell line), as well as the irritant potential through the hen’s egg chorioallantoic membrane test (HET-CAM). NEASE exhibited a polydispersity index above 0.12, with a droplet size of 300 nm, -potential of 40 mV, and content of flavonoids close to 1 mg/mL. No cytotoxicity of the ASE was observed on HaCaT by MTT assay (up to 10 g/mL). A significant increase of HaCaT viability was observed to NEASE (up to 5 g/mL of flavonoids), compared to treatment with the ASE. The necrosis death evaluation demonstrated that only NEASE did not lead to cell death at all the tested concentrations. The scratch assay demonstrated that NEASE was able to increase the cell migration at low flavonoid concentrations. Finally, the HET-CAM test proved the non-irritative potential of NEASE. Overall, the results indicate the potential of the proposed formulations for topical use in wound healing, in view of their promising effects on proliferation and migration in keratinocytes, combined with an indication of the absence of cytotoxicity and non-irritating potential

Effect of hydrogel containing Achyrocline satureioides (Asteraceae) extract–loaded nanoemulsions on wound healing activity

Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC extract–loaded nanoemulsions have demonstrated potential for wound healing, with promising effects on keratinocyte proliferation. We carried out the first in vivo investigation of the wound healing activity of a hydrogel containing A. satureioides extract– loaded nanoemulsions. We prepared hydrogels by adding the gelling agent (Carbopol® Ultrez) to extract-loaded nanoemulsions (~250 nm in diameter) obtained by spontaneous emulsification. The final flavonoid content in formulation was close to 1 mg/mL, as estimated by ultra-fast liquid chromatography. Permeation/retention studies using porcine ear skin showed that flavonoids reached deeper layers of pig ear skin when it was damaged (up to 3.2 g/cm2 in the dermis), but did not reach the Franz-type diffusion cell receptor fluid. For healing activity, we performed a dorsal wound model using Wistar rats, evaluating the lesion size, anti-inflammatory markers, oxidative damage, and histology. We found that extract-loaded formulations promoted wound healing by increasing angiogenesis by ~20%, reducing inflammation (tumor necrosis factor ) by ~35%, decreasing lipid damage, and improving the re-epithelialization process in lesions. In addition, there was an increase in the number of blood vessels and hair follicles for wounds treated with the formulation compared with the controls. Our findings indicate that the proposed formulation could be promising in the search for better quality healing and tissue reconstruction

Calibration of Satellite Low Radiance by AERONET-OC Products and 6SV Model

For water quality monitoring using satellite data, it is often required to optimize the low radiance signal through the application of radiometric gains. This work describes a procedure for the retrieval of radiometric gains to be applied to OLI/L8 and MSI/S2A data over coastal waters. The gains are defined by the ratio of the top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance simulated using the Second Simulation of a Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum—vector (6SV) radiative transfer model, REF, and the TOA reflectance acquired by the sensor, MEAS, over AERONET-OC stations. The REF is simulated considering quasi-synchronous atmospheric and aquatic AERONET-OC products and the image acquisition geometry. Both for OLI/L8 and MSI/S2A the measured TOA reflectance was higher than the modeled signal in almost all bands resulting in radiometric gains less than 1. The use of retrieved gains showed an improvement of reflectance remote sensing, Rrs, when with ACOLITE atmospheric correction software. When the gains are applied an accuracy improvement of the Rrs in the 400–700 nm domain was observed except for the first blue band of both sensors. Furthermore, the developed procedure is quick, user-friendly, and easily transferable to other optical sensors

Adoption of Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) by an Italian Municipality

Over the past few decades, many governments throughout the world have promoted gender-responsive budgeting (GRB). With its focus on equality, accountability, transparency and participation in the policy-making process, GRB shares some relevant principles with public governance that call governments at national and subnational levels to rethink their roles in the whole economic system. This worldwide political and managerial interest does not find sufficient space in academic discussion, mainly in terms of public administration and management studies. Adopting an interpretative approach, the present study aims to investigate how an Italian municipality has involved stakeholders in the GRB process. The case study shows that, when GRB is fully developed, the stakeholders involved are both internal and external, and these multiple actors, in pursuing gender equality, cooperate to achieve a common, public aim. In this way, GRB gives effectiveness to the public decision-making process, contributing to greater incisiveness in the local government’s management and creation of a gender-sensitive governance process