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 <1 metre Hurricane Katrina

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 1. Introduction-Instruments: Most satellite images are not photos

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. orbitsorbits

Sun-synchronous satellites: km altitude, rotates at circa degree angle to equator: captures imagery approx the same time each day (10am +/- 30 minutes) - Landsat path: earthnowearthnow

Intro– Resolution (pixel size) ~1 m to 10km Low resolution 1km - 10km (international) Medium resolution 100m -1km (national) High resolution m (regional) Very High resolution metres (local)

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

2. Sensors: Low resolution - weather satellites

Sensors: MODIS – medium resolution

Sensors: ASTER - High resolution

Sensors: Very high resolution – corporate satellites e.g Ikonos, Quickbird, GeoEye

GeoEye 50cm resolution: Vancouver Olympic village (April 26, 2009)

Selected satellite remote sensing systems

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 <- east)

Lava flow, New Aiyansh

Earth Observatory: Anak Krakatau Ikonos satellite on June 11, USGS Volcano Hazards

Use of LiDAR digital elevation models for flood plain mapping and mitigationflood plain mapping and mitigation

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. Remote Sensing for Hazard Assessment: Landslides - Hong Kong

4. Remote sensing of hazards by type … Volcanoes

This ASTER image of Mount St. Helens was captured one week after the March 8 ash and steam eruption (2005)

Landslides Pakistan

Avalanches, Bowron Lakes

Climate change: melting polar ice cappolar ice cap

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. Climate change: Glacier melt - lake dam collapse:

Rita: Evolution From Tropical Storm to Hurricane While 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.

MODIS Rapid Response System Global Fire Maps

5. Some general websites for remote sensing of hazards

Mapping reference for hazards- Canada Natural Resources Canada - natural hazards

Dr. George Pararas-Carayannis e.g.

Satellite images and digital terrain models for 3D visualisation