Dynamic analysis of the Wenchuan Earthquake disaster and reconstruction with 3-year remote sensing data

摘要

Earth observation is an effective technique that plays an important role inearthquake damage reduction and reconstruction. This paper introduces theresults of dynamic analysis on monitoring and assessing heavily impacted areasaffected by the Wenchuan Earthquake using remote sensing data acquired in thepast 3 years from 2008 to 2010. Immediately after the disaster on 12 May 2008,the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched a project entitled WenchuanEarthquake Disasters Monitoring and Assessment Using Remote SensingTechnology.' More than 400 images from 17 satellites and 20.2TB airborneremote sensing data were acquired to facilitate quick monitoring and evaluationof severely damaged areas in 14 counties. Results of the image analyses wereforwarded on a timely basis to assist with consultative service and decision-making support. In subsequent years, in order to monitor the process ofenvironmental restoration and reconstruction, airborne optical remote sensingimages covering most of the severely damaged areas were again acquired in May2009 and April 2010. These images were analyzed and compared along withimages from 2008. Results were useful in support of further work on environ-mental protection and reconstruction in earthquake-damaged areas. Three typicalareas were selected for illustrative purposes including Tangjiashan Barrier Lake,Beichuan County, and counties of Yingxiu and the new Beichuan. These resultswell demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of the utility of earthobservation for disaster mitigation and reconstruction.