Geospatial analysis from space: Advanced approaches for data processing, information extraction and interpretation

摘要

EO techniques offer cost-effective means to geographers, cartographers, GIS specialists, etc. for obtaining useful data that can be easily and systematically updated for the whole globe andapplied to a large variety of investigation fields. In particular, the use of satellite data along with spatial analysis techniques can be very useful for environmental monitoring, planning purposes, risk estimation, disaster management, etc. which require updated information and timely reporting at a very detailed level. Nevertheless, the exploitation of satellite Earth Observation in the field of geospatial analysis is a relatively new tool, although it can provide invaluable information for both traditional and new, strategic, challenging applications. One of the most strategic challenges to be addressed is the importance of monitoring the Earth’s surface at multiple temporal and spatial scales, from global down to a local level using multiple sensors along with ancillary data source. Intensive and extensive investigations of the huge amount of EO data today available as well as the integration from multiple missions, and the exploration of long time-series ask for novel solutions for the management, analysis and information retrieval. The current availability of time series, often available free of charge from national and international space agency (see, for example, NASA, CNES, etc.) for the whole globe or large areas of the Earth’s surface have created great interest in their use for a number of applications encompassing oceans, land, ice and the atmosphere, focused on environmental monitoring, including climate, biodiversity, natural resource management, agricultural studies, urban sprawl, disaster anagement, human settlements and archaeological investigations.