Remote sensing of natural hazards

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Remote sensing of natural hazards Remote sensing
satellite imagery and aerial photography They
range from low resolution (weather satellites) to
very high res .. capable of detecting objects lt1
metre
Hurricane Katrina
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1. Introduction-Instruments Most satellite
images are not photos
Millennium Island photographed by a crew member
on the International Space Station This image was
acquired with a Nikon D3 digital camera fitted
with an 800 mm lens
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Geostationary 36,000 km above equator, stay
vertically above the same spot, rotates with
earth - weather images, e.g. GOES (Geostat.
Operational Env. Satellite)
Scanning enables the data to be transmitted back
to earth from the satellite. orbits
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Sun-synchronous satellites 700-900 km altitude,
rotates at circa 81-82 degree angle to equator
captures imagery approx the same time each day
(10am /- 30 minutes) -
Landsat path earthnow
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Intro Resolution (pixel size)  1 m to 10km Low
resolution 1km - 10km (international) Medium
resolution     100m -1km (national) High
resolution      10 -100 m (regional) Very
High resolution   1 - 10 metres (local)  
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Introduction Energy wavelengths used for remote
sensing

1. Visible wavelengths
2. Near/mid Infra-Red (vegetation and moisture)
3. Thermal infra-red (heat)
4. Microwave radar (cloud-free)

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2. Sensors Low resolution - weather satellites
http//www.osei.noaa.gov/
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Sensors MODIS medium resolution
http//rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/
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Sensors ASTER - High resolution
http//asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery.asp?catid70
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Sensors Very high resolution corporate
satellites e.g Ikonos, Quickbird, GeoEye
http//www.satimagingcorp.com/galleryimages/high-r
esolution-remote-sensor-sri-lanka-flood.jpg
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GeoEye 50cm resolution Vancouver Olympic
village (April 26, 2009)
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Selected satellite remote sensing systems
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• 3. Application examples - remote sensing can be
  used for
• A. Mapping - damage assessment
• B. Monitoring (in progress)
• C. Prediction / mitigation

Tornado Rips Through Maryland, 2002 (west lt-
east)
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Lava flow, New Aiyansh
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USGS Volcano Hazards http//volcanoes.usgs.gov/
Earth Observatory Anak Krakatau Ikonos satellite
on June 11, 2005.
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Use of LiDAR digital elevation models for flood
plain mapping and mitigation http//www.airbornei
maginginc.com/images/data_samples/Full_size/Floodp
lain_map.jpg
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Remote Sensing for Hazard Assessment Landslides
- Hong Kong http//www.cse.polyu.edu.hk/rcuhm/rese
arch_1.html
LANDSAT Thematic Mapper colour composite, bands
2, 4 and 6 with band 6 (thermal band) displayed
as red and band 4 (visible infra-red) as green.
Red areas represent hot spots and correspond to
areas of grassland which have been burnt during
the dry season.
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4. Remote sensing of hazards by type Volcanoes
http//asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery.asp?catid10
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This ASTER image of Mount St. Helens was captured
one week after the March 8 ash and steam eruption
(2005) http//www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/earth
andsun/mshelenslidar_prt.htm
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Landslides Pakistan
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Avalanches, Bowron Lakes
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Climate change melting polar ice cap
http//arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJMQ21p93JZcNR1
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Climate change Glacier melt - lake dam
collapse
Huarez, Peru A chunk of glacier was threatening
to fall into an Andean lake and cause major
flooding in a Peruvian city of 60,000. If the
piece breaks off, ensuing floods would take 15
minutes to reach the city. In 1941, the lake
overflowed and caused massive destruction,
killing 7,000 people.
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Rita Evolution From Tropical Storm to
HurricaneWhile Rita is dragging over both Cuba
and the Florida peninsula, she can't draw much
power since there is less water available for
evaporation. However, once she starts to clear
Cuba and Florida, and gets over the warm waters
of the Gulf of Mexico, she is able to spin up
into a full hurricane. From these images, you can
also see that her path will take her across the
Gulf, towards the Texas coast.
http//www.runet.edu/rusmart/imageoftheday/2005-0
9-21.html
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http//www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/hurricane/track_e.h
tml
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MODIS Rapid Response System Global Fire Maps
http//rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov
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5. Some general websites for remote sensing of
hazards
http//earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/archive.php
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Mapping reference for hazards- Canada Natural
Resources Canada - natural hazards
http//ess.nrcan.gc.ca/disdan/index_e.php http/
/atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/n
aturalhazards
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http//www.disasterscharter.org/web/charter/map
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Dr. George Pararas-Carayannis http//www.drgeor
gepc.com/index.html e.g. http//www.drgeorgepc.co
m/Cyclone2008Burma.html
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Satellite images and digital terrain models for
3D visualisation
http//asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/images/msh.mp
g