scholarly journals Integration of Satellite Interferometric Data in Civil Protection Strategies for Landslide Studies at a Regional Scale

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1881
Author(s):  
Silvia Bianchini ◽  
Lorenzo Solari ◽  
Davide Bertolo ◽  
Patrick Thuegaz ◽  
Filippo Catani
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Satellite Monitoring ◽  
Preliminary Evaluation ◽  
Civil Protection ◽  
Integrated Monitoring ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Slow Moving

Multi-Temporal Satellite Interferometry (MTInSAR) is gradually evolving from being a tool developed by the scientific community exclusively for research purposes to a real operational technique that can meet the needs of different users involved in geohazard mitigation. This work aims at showing the innovative operational use of satellite radar interferometric products in Civil Protection Authority (CPA) practices for monitoring slow-moving landslides. We present the example of the successful ongoing monitoring system in the Valle D’Aosta Region (VAR-Northern Italy). This system exploits well-combined MTInSAR products and ground-based instruments for landslide management and mitigation strategies over the whole regional territory. Due to the critical intrinsic constraints of MTInSAR data, a robust regional satellite monitoring integrated into CPA practices requires the support of both in situ measurements and remotely sensed systems to guarantee the completeness and reliability of information. The monitoring network comprises three levels of analysis: Knowledge monitoring, Control monitoring, and Emergency monitoring. At the first monitoring level, MTInSAR data are used for the preliminary evaluation of the deformation scenario at a regional scale. At the second monitoring level, MTInSAR products support the prompt detection of trend variations of radar benchmarks displacements with bi-weekly temporal frequency to identify active critical situations where follow-up studies must be carried out. In the third monitoring level, MTInSAR data integrated with ground-based data are exploited to confirm active slow-moving deformations detected by on-site instruments. At this level, MTInSAR data are also used to carry out back analysis that cannot be performed by any other tool. From the example of the Valle D’Aosta Region integrated monitoring network, which is one of the few examples of this kind around Europe, it is evident that MTInSAR provides a great opportunity to improve monitoring capabilities within CPA activities.

DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED MONITORING NETWORK FOR MEASURING SALINITY OF SEA WATER

2018 ◽  
pp. 18-26
Author(s):  
Sima Ajdar qizi Askerova
Keyword(s):  
Surface Waters ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Monitoring Networks ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Integrated Monitoring ◽  
Ecological Control ◽  
Different Depths ◽  
Optimal Construction

Monitoring of sea water condition is one of major requirements for carrying out the reliable ecological control of water environment. Monitoring networks contain such elements as sea buoys, beacons, etc. and are designated for measuringvarious hydrophysical parameters, including salinity of sea water. Development of specialized network and a separate buoy system for measuring thesea water salinity at different depths makes it possible to determine major regularities of processes of pollution and self-recovery of the sea waters. The article describes the scientific and methodological basics for development of this specialized network and questions of its optimal construction. It is well-known that at a depth of 30-45 m of the Caspian Sea salinity decreases and then at a depth of 45-60 m salinity is fully recovered. The mentioned changes of salinity at the relatively upper layer of sea waters is of special interest for studying the effect of ocean-going processes on the climate forming in the Caspian area. In terms of informativeness of measurements of surface waters salinity, the most informative is a layer ata 30-60 m depth, where inversion and recovery of salinity take place. It is shown that in most informative subrange of measurements, i. e. at a depth of 30-60 m optimization of regime of measurements complex should be carried out in order to increase the effectiveness of held researches. It is shown that at a depth of 35-50 m choice of the optimum regime of measurements makes it possible to obtain the maximum amount of information.

scholarly journals Levels, Inventory, and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Wetland Ecosystem, Northeast China: Implications for Snow Cover Monitoring

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 2161
Author(s):  
Fuxiang Zhang ◽  
Bo Meng ◽  
Shang Gao ◽  
Rupert Hough ◽  
Peng Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Class Ii ◽  
Sanjiang Plain ◽  
Preliminary Evaluation ◽  
Monitoring Method ◽  
The Sanjiang Plain ◽  
Water Pollution Index

Snow cover is a unique environmental medium in cold regions that can cause potential risks to the ecological environment, due to the release of pollutants that are stored in it. In this study, the Qixing River wetland, located in the Sanjiang Plain of China, was taken as the target research area. Heavy metals in snow cover, including Cu, Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, and Zn were measured at 19 sampling sites. The results showed that the average concentrations of heavy metals were: Zn (103.46 ± 39.16) > Pb (13.08 ± 4.99) > Cr (11.97 ± 2.82) > Ni (9.55 ± 4.96) > Cu (6.19 ± 1.79) > Cd (0.55 ± 0.25) μg·L−1. Cr and Zn were between Class I and Class II in the “Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water” of China (GB3838-2002). Pb in snow exceeded the upper limit of Class II, and was significantly higher than concentrations measured in water samples from the Qixing River wetland (p < 0.05), indicating that atmospheric deposition during winter was the major source of Pb. The water pollution index (WPI) indicated that 61.0% of samples could be considered of “clean” status, while the contribution of Zn, Pb, and Cr to WPI were 33.3%, 21.0%, and 19.3%, respectively. A preliminary evaluation of heavy metal inventory in snow cover showed that the residue level of Zn was the highest (2313.57 ± 1194.67 μg·m−2), while Cd was the lowest (13.91 ± 10.45 μg·m−2). The areas with high residues of heavy metals were all located near the buffer zone of the wetland (except for Zn), where snow depth tended to be greatest. Exposure analysis indicated that the risks to winter resident birds from snow ingestion was minimal, but it should be noted that the exposure risk was higher in birds with lower bodyweights. This study provides important information and scientific knowledge on the pollution characteristics and residue inventory of heavy metals in wetland ecosystems, while the results can also provide a monitoring method, reflecting atmospheric environmental quality at a local or regional scale.

Regional-scale analysis of dune-beach systems using Google Earth Engine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Latella ◽  
Arjen Luijendijk ◽  
Carlo Camporeale
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Classification Algorithm ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Training Data ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Beach Width ◽  
Google Earth Engine

&lt;p&gt;Coastal sand dunes provide a large variety of ecosystem services, among which the inland protection from marine floods. Nowadays, this protection is fundamental, and its importance will further increase in the future due to the rise of the sea level and storm violence induced by climate change. Despite the crucial role of coastal dunes and their potential application in mitigation strategies, the phenomenon of the coastal squeeze, which is mainly caused by the urban sprawl, is progressively reducing the extents of the areas where dune can freely undergo their dynamics, thus dramatically impairing their capability of providing ecosystem services.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aiming to embed the use of satellite images in the study of coastal foredune and beach dynamics, we developed a classification algorithm that uses the satellite images and server-side functions of Google Earth Engine (GEE). The algorithm runs on the GEE Python API and allows the user to retrieve all the available images for the study site and the chosen time period from the selected sensor collection. The algorithm also filters the cloudy and saturated pixels and creates a percentile-composite image over which it applies a random forest classification algorithm. The classification is finally refined by defining a mask for land pixels only.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to the provided training data and sensor selection, the algorithm can give different outcomes, ranging from sand and vegetation maps, beach width measurements, and shoreline time evolution visualization. This very versatile tool that can be used in a great variety of applications within the monitoring and understanding of the dune-beach systems and associated coastal ecosystem services. For instance, we show how this algorithm, combined with machine learning techniques and the assimilation of real data, can support the calibration of a coastal model that gives the natural extent of the beach width and that can be, therefore, used to plan restoration activities.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Satellite InSAR as a New Tool for the Verification of Landslide Engineering Remedial Works at the Regional Scale: A Case Study in the Three Gorges Resevoir Area, China

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (18) ◽  
pp. 6435
Author(s):  
Shuhao Liu ◽  
Samuele Segoni ◽  
Federico Raspini ◽  
Kunlong Yin ◽  
Chao Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Slope Stability ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Source Monitoring ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Critical Conditions ◽  
Three Gorges Reservoir Area ◽  
Three Gorges ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
The Three Gorges ◽  
Slow Moving

Several countries worldwide are funding large-scale programs to mitigate landslide risk by implementing engineering remedial works. However, the overall effectiveness of such measures is rarely monitored, and they are typically performed at the slope scale without fully exploiting the wide-area capabilities of remote sensing technologies. A multi-scale and multi-source monitoring procedure for evaluating the slope stability and the effectiveness of related remedial works was proposed in this study and applied in the middle section of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), China. The area is highly exposed to landslide hazards, and a massive program of engineering remedial works was recently implemented. Satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR)-based techniques were first exploited at the regional scale with the objective to provide a general overview of the deformative scenario and to highlight localized problems (active landslides or high deformation zones) to be further investigated; then, local-scale field investigation and multi-source ground monitoring data were employed to verify the deforming states of active landslides and to evaluate the effectiveness of the landslide engineering remedial works. The results indicated that, among the 310 mapped landslides in the study area, 52 were identified to be active and in a slow-moving state by satellite InSAR; Among the 58 controlled landslides, 9 of them were suspected to be active in a slow-moving state and require further concern. Particular attention was paid to two controlled landslides that were found in a continuously and progressively deforming state. We observed that the regional-scale program of slope stabilization was highly successful; however, the variation of the surrounding environmental setting could have led to landslide reactivation or partial invalidation of the landslide remedial works. The proposed multi-scale and multi-source monitoring framework is low-cost, easy to perform, and very straightforward to communicate to citizens and authorities. It can be easily implemented with very wide areas to assess the slope stability and to investigate the effectiveness of large-scale governmental risk mitigation programs, identifying precursor signals that could allow for intervention before reaching critical conditions.

Ice avalanche risk management from the Planpincieux glacier (Courmayeur - Italy)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Perret ◽  
Fabrizio Troilo ◽  
Simone Gottardelli ◽  
Luca Mondardini ◽  
Niccolò Dematteis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Summer Season ◽  
Civil Protection ◽  
Integrated Monitoring ◽  
Monitoring Plan ◽  
Ice Volume ◽  
Glacier Terminus ◽  
Access Road ◽  
The Alps ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Avalanche Risk Management

&lt;p&gt;Instabilities occurring on temperate glaciers in the Alps have been the subject of several studies, which have highlighted preliminary conditions and possible precursory signs of break-off events.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Since 2013, the Planpincieux Glacier, located on the Italian side of Mont Blanc massif (Aosta Valley), has been studied to analyse the dynamics of ice collapses in a temperate glacier.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These analyses have been conducted for several years, enabling the assessment of surface kinematics on the lower glacier portion and the different instability processes at the glacier terminus. During the period of the study, especially in the summer seasons, increases in velocities of the whole right side of the glacier tongue have been recorded. This fast sliding movement is mainly induced by water flow at the bottom of the glacier.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In 2019 summer season, the increase of speed coincided with the opening of a large crevasse, which outlined a fast moving ice volume, assessed by photogrammetric techniques as 250.000 m&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to the risk scenarios, the collapse of this ice volume from the glacial body would have reached the valley floor, potentially affecting the access road to the Val Ferret valley.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Considering the potential risk, a civil protection plan has been deployed by the monitoring team of the Aosta Valley Autonomous Region, Fondazione Montagna sicura and CNR-IRPI.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Glacier displacements, variations in the glacier morphology and environmental variables, such as air temperature, rain and snowfall, have all been taken into account to implement the monitoring plan.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This work outlines and summarises the steps used to develop the scientific knowledge into an integrated monitoring plan and a closure plan for the Val Ferret valley.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals An integrated approach for the evaluation of technological hazard impacts on air quality: the case of the Val d'Agri oil/gas plant

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 2345-2376
Author(s):  
M. Calvello ◽  
F. Esposito ◽  
S. Trippetta
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Preliminary Evaluation ◽  
Air Quality Measurements ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Oil Gas

Abstract. The Val d'Agri area (southern Italy) hosts the biggest on-shore European reservoir and the largest oil/gas pre-treatment plant, named Centro Olio Val d'Agri (COVA), located in a rural/anthropized context. Several hazards are associated to this plant. These are mainly represented by possible impacts of the COVA atmospheric emissions on the local air quality and human health. This work uses a novel approach based on the integration of air quality measurements from the regional monitoring network, additional experimental measurements (i.e., sub-micrometric particulate matter – PM1 and Black Carbon – BC) and advanced statistical analyses to provide a preliminary evaluation of the Val d'Agri air quality state and give some indications of specific areas potentially affected by COVA hazards. Results show that the COVA plant emissions exert an impact especially on the air quality of the area closest to it. In this area several pollutants specifically related to the COVA combustion processes (i.e., nitrogen oxides, benzene and toluene) show the highest concentration values and significant correlations. The proposed approach represents a first step in the assessment of the risks associated to oil/gas exploration and pre-treatment activities and a starting point for the development of effective and exportable air quality monitoring strategies.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Meteorological Drought in Bangladesh Using Effective Drought Index

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Kamruzzaman ◽  
Syewoon Hwang ◽  
Jaepil Cho ◽  
Min-Won Jang ◽  
Hanseok Jeong
Keyword(s):  
Central Region ◽  
Drought Index ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Monthly Precipitation ◽  
Effective Drought Index ◽  
Spatiotemporal Characteristics ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
North Western

This study aims to assess the spatiotemporal characteristics of meteorological droughts in Bangladesh during 1981&ndash;2015 using the Effective Drought Index (EDI). Monthly precipitation data for 36 years (1980-2015) obtained from 27 metrological stations, were used in this study. The EDI performance was evaluated for four sub-regions over the country through comparisons with historical drought records identified at the regional scale. Analysis at a regional level showed that EDI could reasonably detect the drought years/events during the study period. The study also revealed that the overall drought severity had increased during the past 35 y; the most significant increasing trend was observed in the central region. The characteristics (severity and duration) of drought were also analysed in terms of spatiotemporal evolution of the frequency of drought events. It was found that the western and central regions of the country are comparatively more vulnerable to drought. Moreover, the southwestern region is more prone to extreme drought, whereas the central region is more prone to severe droughts. In addition, the central region was more prone to extra-long-term droughts, while the coastal areas in the southwestern as well as in the central and north-western region were more prone to long-term droughts. The frequency of droughts in all categories significantly increased during the last quinquennial period (2011 to 2015). The seasonal analysis showed that the north-western areas were prone to extreme droughts during the Kharif (wet) and Rabi (dry) seasons. The central and northern regions were affected by recurring severe droughts in all cropping seasons. Further, the most significant increasing trend of the drought-affected area was observed within the central region, especially during the pre-monsoon (March-May) season. The results of this study can aid policymakers in the development of drought mitigation strategies in the future.

scholarly journals Improving long-term coral reef monitoring in the Wider Caribbean region: Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network - Caribbean accomplishments

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Labbouz ◽  
Maria Pena
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Dynamic Network ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Steering Committee ◽  
Human Dimensions ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Integrated Monitoring ◽  
Reef Monitoring

Long-term, robust coral reef monitoring coupled with strategic reporting are essential drivers for ecosystem-based management and regional policy processes. Since the restructuring of the Caribbean component of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) in August 2014, the GCRMN-Caribbean has been bolstering its presence and regional acknowledgement as a dynamic network. An expert steering committee and members-at-large have enabled the network to achieve substantial progress. GCRMN-Caribbean bio-physical guidelines have been improved and tested at several sites; communication and experience sharing have increased considerably; capacity building actions have been implemented for coral reef practitioners with a special focus on MPA managers; and there has been collaboration with major Caribbean programmes. This paper reports on the progress of the GCRMN-Caribbean in 2017: the development of socio-economic guidelines for an integrated monitoring approach, the implementation of building capacity projects “for coral reef and human dimensions monitoring within the Wider Caribbean", within a workshop-based training program to increase regional capacity for integrated bio-physical and socio-economic monitoring. Besides its achievements for the year, this paper also reports on GCRMN-Caribbean network challenges and next steps, including development of a standardized data analysis and reporting in 2018 and participation in the International Year of the Reef.

Improved Inversion of Monthly Ammonia Emissions in China Based on the Chinese Ammonia Monitoring Network and Ensemble Kalman Filter

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Tang ◽  
Lei Kong ◽  
Jiang Zhu ◽  
Zifa Wang ◽  
Yuepeng Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Kalman Filter ◽  
Ensemble Kalman Filter ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Air Quality Prediction ◽  
Essential Input

&lt;p&gt;Ammonia (NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;) emission inventories are an essential input in chemical transport models and are helpful for policy-makers to refine mitigation strategies. However, current estimates of Chinese NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; emissions still have large uncertainties. In this study, an improved inversion estimation of NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; emissions in China has been made using an ensemble Kalman filter and the Nested Air Quality Prediction Modeling System. By first assimilating the surface NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; observations from the Ammonia Monitoring Network in China at a high resolution of 15 km, our inversion results have provided new insights into the spatial and temporal patterns of Chinese NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; emissions. More enhanced NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; emission hotspots, likely associated with industrial or agricultural sources, were captured in northwest China, where the a posteriori NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; emissions were more than twice the a priori emissions. Monthly variations of NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; emissions were optimized in different regions of China and exhibited a more distinct seasonality, with the emissions in summer being twice those in winter. The inversion results were well-validated by several independent datasets that traced gaseous NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and related atmospheric processes. These findings highlighted that the improved inversion estimation can be used to advance our understanding of NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; emissions in China and their environmental impacts.&lt;/p&gt;

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document