Torsten Riedlinger

Joint use of remote sensing data and volunteered geographic information for exposure estimation: evidence from Valparaíso, Chile

The impact of natural hazards on mankind has increased dramatically over the past decades. Global urbanization processes and increasing spatial concentrations of exposed elements induce natural hazard risk at a uniquely high level. To mitigate affiliated perils requires detailed knowledge about elements at risk. Considering a high spatiotemporal variability of elements at risk, detailed information is costly in terms of both time and economic resources and therefore often incomplete, aggregated, or outdated. To alleviate these restrictions, the availability of very-high-resolution satellite images promotes accurate and detailed analysis of exposure over various spatial scales with large-area coverage. In the past, valuable approaches were proposed; however, the design of information extraction procedures with a high level of automatization remains challenging. In this paper, we uniquely combine remote sensing data and volunteered geographic information from the OpenStreetMap project (OSM) (i.e., freely accessible geospatial information compiled by volunteers) for a highly automated estimation of crucial exposure components (i.e., number of buildings and population) with a high level of spatial detail. To this purpose, we first obtain labeled training segments from the OSM data in conjunction with the satellite imagery. This allows for learning a supervised algorithmic model (i.e., rotation forest) in order to extract relevant thematic classes of land use/land cover (LULC) from the satellite imagery. Extracted information is jointly deployed with information from the OSM data to estimate the number of buildings with regression techniques (i.e., a multi-linear model from ordinary least-square optimization and a nonlinear support vector regression model are considered). Analogously, urban LULC information is used in conjunction with OSM data to spatially disaggregate population information. Experimental results were obtained for the city of Valparaíso in Chile. Thereby, we demonstrate the relevance of the approaches by estimating number of affected buildings and population referring to a historical tsunami event.

Experience and Perspective of Providing Satellite Based Crisis Information, Emergency Mapping & Disaster Monitoring Information to Decision Makers and Relief Workers

Recognizing an increasing demand for up-to-date and precise information on disaster and crisis situations the German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) of DLR has set up a dedicated interface for linking the available and comprehensive remote sensing and analysis capacities with national and international civil protection, humanitarian relief actors and political decision makers. This so called “Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information” (ZKI) is engaged in the acquisition, analysis and provision of satellite based information products on natural disasters, humanitarian crisis situation, and civil security. Besides response and assessment activities, DFDZKI also focuses on the provision of geoinformation for medium term rehabilitation, reconstruction and prevention activities. DFD-ZKI operates in national, European and international contexts, closely networking with public authorities (civil security), non-governmental organizations (humanitarian relief organizations), satellite operators and other space agencies. ZKI supports the “International Charter on Space and Major Disasters”, which is a major cooperative activity among international space agencies in the context of natural and man-made disasters.

Rapid Mapping and Damage Assessment

This chapter covers two main topics. The first deals with rapid mapping of damages for generating an overview, while the second deals with detailed assessment of damages. For the topic rapid mapping, fast procedures and methods for obtaining overview maps and information from satellite imagery are the main focus. For the second topic, production of accurate and detailed information from satellite imagery is more of an issue. The chapter is based on the activities of the various partners that have contributed to the GMOSS work package handling this subject. These activities comprise both security issues as well as natural disasters

Satellite Based Information to Support European Crisis Response

This chapter presents a critical review of current state of development of European capacities in the domain of satellite based information for civil crisis response in Europe and worldwide. New global security challenges require new technological solutions to answer the civilian security monitoring tasks of an enlarged European Community, acting in a more globalised world. Different crisis types and patterns require different analysis and response capacities. Various initiatives and projects exist today, which work towards European satellite analysis capacities for civil security issues. Mechanisms like the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’, the EC initiative on Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) or the Group on Earth Observation Systems of Systems (GEOSS) provide a basis for forging and expanding such capacities. Today, especially the scientific community and research initiatives provide substantial information support and analytical capacities to member states and the bodies of the European Community. One very interesting and promising tool to further develop satellite intelligence for civil security issues through the conduct of coordinated analytical exercises in distributed research networks and thus to test strengths and weaknesses of the current state of the art technology and methods available. It can be concluded that the first elements of a European civil security analysis infrastructure are materializing; however, further efforts and coordination mechanisms are necessary to build respective operational and fully analytical and coherently acting capacities within Europe.