B. Hirn

Automated, multi-payload, high-resolution temperature mapping and instant lava effusion rate determination at erupting volcanoes

We present a computing routine (MYVOL) specifically designed for volcano monitoring and, in particular, for the multi-platform, high-resolution, lava flow mapping and instantaneous effusion rate determination. The routine allows for the automated processing of data acquired by TM and ETM+ (onboard Landsat-5 and Landsat-7, respectively), ASTER (onboard TERRA), HRVIR and HRG (onboard SPOT-4 and SPOT-5, respectively). It was thoroughly tested on multi-scene sequences acquired 2000-2004 on four active volcanoes worldwide (Piton de la Fournaise, Réunion Island; Pu’u O’o, Hawaii; Mt.Etna and Stromboli, southern Italy). Here, we outline the results obtained by MYVOL on Hawaii and Stromboli, and discuss them in application to the performance analysis of ASTER (night-time and daytime) vs. ETM+ and TM (daytime scenes).

Operational Integration of Spaceborne Measurements of Lava Discharge Rates and Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations for Global Volcano Monitoring

We present the rationale and the main initial achievements of the operational prototype of the first multi-method system for the real-time, unsupervised, quantitative monitoring of erupted masses simultaneously at all active volcanoes in Europe, Africa, the Eastern Antilles and the ocean islands. The system is structured as a multi-pole, geographically distributed system, where raw datasets from space payloads SEVIRI, MODIS, GOME-2, IASI and OMI are acquired at four downlink stations, distributed to, and automatically processed at six locations in four European nations, then returned to a central post-processor for real-time alert and Wide Area Network display. This architecture is aimed at optimizing quality and timeliness of the advanced methods run within it, and to let the inherent technical knowledge remain with inventors without concern for individual intellectual property. Before entering operations early in 2012, the system underwent extensive testing in 2011 during the major eruptions of Nabro (Eritrea) and Nyamulagira (DR Congo), which are presented here.

SIGRI Project: Products Validation Results

The pilot project SIGRI (Sistema Integrato per la Gestione del Rischio Incendi) of the Italian Space Agency aims at developing an integrated system for the management of wildfires. The system provides satellite-based products capable of assisting in all phases of fire combat activities: forecast, detection, damage assessment, and recovery. The SIGRI goals were achieved by implementing consolidated methodologies, and/or developing innovative tools and methods for the automated analysis of multispectral, Synthetic Aperture Radar, and non-EO data. This paper focuses on the testing and validation of algorithms developed during the final phase of SIGRI. The validation of the products generated is an important phase in which their potential is assessed, and algorithms are calibrated. We discuss the results of the validation process of the main chain of unsupervised products: Modified Fire Probability Index by multispectral moderate resolution data (prevention), early detection of fire Hot Spots by multispectral very-high temporal resolution data (response), and identification and mapping of Burn Scars (damage assessment) by high-spatial resolution electro-optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar data.

Automated monitoring of high-temperature volcanic features: from high-spatial to very-high-temporal resolution

Abstract Developments in spaceborne Earth Observation (EO) sensor technology over the last decade, combined with well-tested physical models and multispectral data-processing techniques developed from the early 1980s, have paved the way to the global monitoring of volcanoes by sensors of metric, decametric, kilometric and multi-kilometric spatial resolution. Such variable geometries provide for revisit intervals ranging from about monthly – at high-spatial resolution in Low-Earth Orbit – to less than 5 min – at low-spatial resolution, from geostationary platforms. There are currently about 20 spacecrafts available for carrying out 24/7 quantitative observations of volcanic unrest, at all resolutions and as close as possible to real-time. We show some successful examples of synergetic EO on volcanoes on three continents from 10 different payloads, automatically processed with three, end-to-end unsupervised procedures, on eight major eruptions and a lava lake between 2006 and 2014.

Synergetic exploitation of meteorological geostationary payloads «SEVIRI» and «JAMI» for quantitative, real-time, global volcano monitoring

Very low-spatial, very high-temporal resolution multispectral data acquired 2006–2008 by geostationary payloads SEVIRI onboard MSG-1 and MSG-2 orbiting at 0°, and JAMI-Imager onboard MTSAT-1R orbiting at 140°E, were analyzed for feasibility and road tests of quantitative, multi-payload volcano monitoring at high refresh rates. We merged and adapted to the East Asia eruptive scenarios two processing methods developed recently for multi-payload, volcano monitoring on Europe and Africa. Monitoring focused on very high-temperature surface features, involving active lava flows and dome forming, in the light of the the next ceasing of moderate resolution MIR-TIR observations by MODIS and its four daily revisits worldwide. Plans for mantaining and/or implementing the current constellations of meteorological satellites worldwide, conversely, are financially and technically established to cover the next decade.

Satellite based products for supporting forest fires prevention and recovery in Europe

The main purpose of the FP7 PREFER project is to set up a space-based service infrastructure and up-to-date cartographic products, based on remote sensing data, to support the preparedness, prevention, recovery and reconstruction phases of the Forest Fires emergency cycle in the European Mediterranean Region. This region is particularly affected by uncontrolled forest fires, with negative consequences on ecosystems, such as desertification and soil erosion, as well as on the local economy and, in extreme situations, causing also the loss of human lives. The present paper aims at illustrating the potential improvement in the forest fires fighting that may result from the use of information obtained by exploiting satellite imagery. The potentiality of satellite based information products will be demonstrated by reporting the results of the demonstration activity carried out during the 2015 summer season.

Third International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of the Environment (RSCy2015)

PREFER is a Copernicus project of the EC-FP7 program which aims developing spatial information products that may support fire prevention and burned areas restoration decisions and establish a relevant web-based regional service for making these products available to fire management stakeholders. The service focuses to the Mediterranean region, where fire risk is high and damages from wildfires are quite important, and develop its products for pilot areas located in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Greece. PREFER aims to allow fire managers to have access to online resources, which shall facilitate fire prevention measures, fire hazard and risk assessment, estimation of fire impact and damages caused by wildfire as well as support monitoring of post-fire regeneration and vegetation recovery. It makes use of a variety of products delivered by space borne sensors and develop seasonal and daily products using multi-payload, multi-scale and multi-temporal analysis of EO data. The PREFER Service portfolio consists of two main suite of products. The first refers to mapping products for supporting decisions concerning the Preparedness/Prevention Phase (ISP Service). The service delivers Fuel, Hazard and Fire risk maps for this purpose. Furthermore the PREFER portfolio includes Post-fire vegetation recovery, burn scar maps, damage severity and 3D fire damage assessment products in order to support relative assessments required in context of the Recovery/Reconstruction Phase (ISR Service) of fire management.

SIGRI project: Results of the products validation process

The SIGRI (Sistema Integrato per la Gestione del Rischio Incendi) pilot project, funded by ASI (the Italian Space Agency), aims at developing an integrated system for the management of the wild fire events. The system provides satellite based products capable of assisting all the phases of the fire contrasting activities: prevision, detection, and damage assessment/recovering. The SIGRI project aims at implementing consolidated methodologies and/or developing innovative tools and methods for the analysis of remote sensing data and the extraction of information useful to the application. This paper concerns the final phase of the SIGRI project: test and validation of algorithms developed. The validation of the generated products is a very important phase through which the products potentiality is assessed and the algorithms can be calibrated. In this paper we will discuss the results of a preliminary validation process.

Maximizing the detection and mapping of minimal area burn scars with a multi-payload multi-method automated approach: Application to summer fire seasons in Italy

Two multitemporal techniques based on the consecutive analysis of multispectral data ranging from high-temporal to high-spatial resolution, were implemented into a remote-sensing system dedicated to the quantitative monitoring of wildfires in the Mediterranean Region, operating at low-to-nil supervision levels. The system covers the whole fire remote sensing chain, from accurate hot-spot detection and location to high resolution mapping of burn scars. It operates on strong multi-payload basis, as the first part of the processing chain acts on data acquired by the multispectral geostationary payload SEVIRI, whereas the second was designed to operate switching between data acquired by LEO high resolution payloads TM, ETM+, ASTER, HRVIR and LISS 3, as a function of availability and content.

Improvement of MODIS Wildfire Detection Capacity and Performance in the Italian Region

Global MODIS Fire products MOD14 and MYD14 are routinely generated by automated application of the Giglio algorithm (Giglio et al., 2003, Remote Sensing of Environment 87, 273-282) on daytime and night-time data collected up to four time a day. However, MODIS Fire products cannot be used for alert or firefighting purpose since (i) they are available 24 hours after acquisition, and (ii) they present a high omission percentage, coherent with the need of avoiding commission errors. In order to improve the wildfire hot- spot detection capacity and reliability on MODIS raw data, adaptive re-parameterization of the algorithm is required. We present here the results of an Improved Giglio Algorithm for the Detection of Italian Fires (IGADIF), a computing routine that integrates the canonic active fire pixel detection with estimates of the actual fire footprint and top sub-pixel temperature. The algorithm was optimized for, and calibrated on forest fires occurring in Central and Southern Italy.