Spaceborne remote sensing for detection and impact assessment of coal fires in north china

摘要

China has tremendous coal fields in its Northern regions. Not all of them are accessible for mining yet despite the fact, that China is the world's largest coal producer (about 1 billion tons annually). Many coal seams are reaching the surface and show self-ignited fires of considerable extension. Furthermore, fires occur in mines or in the underground. 56 areas of large fires are known to the Chinese authorities and numerous small ones exist in addition. Due to the vast dimensions of some burning coal Fields, extinguishing the fires requires a huge Effort.