Robust Satellite Techniques (RST) for Natural and Environmental Hazards Monitoring and Mitigation: Theory and Applications

Abstract

Several algorithms and data analysis techniques have been proposed using satellite observations (within atmospheric spectral windows) for cloud and surface parameters studies and for human environment monitoring applications. Quite all these algorithms are difficult to extend to different geographical, seasonal conditions, generally offering poor performances and uncertain reliability especially when applied in environmental risk prevision, monitoring and/or mitigation. In this paper the generalized satellite data analysis approach RST (Robust Satellite Technique) is described which extend the use of RAT (Robust AVHRR Techniques) approach -previously proposed by the same author in 1998 -to whatever satellite sensors. Successful RST applications are also described with reference to results so far achieved by using optical and microwaves passive sensors for volcanic eruption monitoring and prediction, forest fire detection, floods mapping, monitoring and early warning, possible earthquake precursors monitoring, oil spill detection and pipeline networks monitoring

RST analysis of MSG-SEVIRI TIR radiances at the time of the Abruzzo 6 April 2009 earthquake

“…The RST approach (Tramutoli, 2007) based on the RAT approach (Tramutoli, 1998), is a suitable tool for monitoring different natural and environmental risks. RST has been successfully applied to the major natural and environmental hazards related to: volcano activity (Pergola et al, 2001(Pergola et al, , 2004aTramutoli et al, 2001c;Di Bello et al, 2004;Bonfiglio et al, 2005;Marchese et al, 2006;Filizzola et al, 2007); flood risk (Tramutoli et al, 2001a;Lacava et al, 2005Lacava et al, , 2006Lacava et al, , 2009; forest fires (Cuomo et al, 2001;Mazzeo et al, 2007), etc.…”

“…Considering what has been said, a different approach named Robust Satellite data analysis Technique (RST; Tramutoli, 2007), based on the RAT -Robust AVHRR Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 2074 N. Genzano et al: RST analysis of MSG-SEVIRI TIR radiances of the Abruzzo earthquake (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) Techniques -approach (Tramutoli, 1998), was proposed to investigate possible relations between earthquake occurrence and spacetime fluctuations of Earth's emitted TIR radiation as observed from satellite.…”

Soil moisture variability estimation through AMSU radiometer

“…the reference fields). They are computed, following the prescription of the Robust Satellite Techniques (RST) approach [Tramutoli, 1998[Tramutoli, , 2007, on the basis of a homogeneous multi-annual data-set of AMSU images all collected during the same month of the year and at around the same hour of the day of the image at hand. The SWVI, for its nature, gives an estimation of relative, rather than absolute, SWI variations.…”

Assessing Performance of the RSTVOLC Multi-Temporal Algorithm in Detecting Subtle Hot Spots at Oldoinyo Lengai (Tanzania, Africa) for Comparison with MODLEN

“…RST VOLC is an optimized configuration of the RST (Robust Satellite Techniques) multi-temporal approach [47], which identifies perturbing events by: (i) Analyzing multiyear time series of cloud-free homogeneous (same calendar month, same channel/s, same acquisition time) satellite records; and (ii) searching for anomalies by means of a specific change detection step.…”

“…The ⊗ MIR (x, y, t) index is highly sensitive to hot magmatic surfaces [15,[47][48][49][50], reaching the peak of their thermal emissions in the MIR band (around 3-5 µm). However, non-volcanological signal fluctuations, ascribable to weather/climatic factors, may still affect its performance [27].…”