1. No category

Remote Sensing
for Global Environment Monitoring
HARUO SAWADA, PHD.
EMERITUS PROFESSOR , THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY (JAXA)
VISITING RESEARCH PROFESSOR, ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
2015.3.21
Introduction
North Japan, Siberia, United States
and Argentina had their warmest
year on record in 2012.
The long-term trends we see in a
changing climate are;

carbon levels are climbing,

sea levels are rising,

Arctic sea ice is melting, and
our planet is becoming a warmer
place.
Satellites reveal global warming
15 Mar.2008
15 Mar. 2011
Average 3.2mm／year
Water level Increase
NASA 3
Global Environment influences Society

Climate change is affecting all the organisms
in the world.

Impacts of climate change are evident across
regions and in many sectors


—such as human health, agriculture and food
security, water supply, transportation, energy,
ecosystems, and others—
and are expected to become increasingly
disruptive throughout this century and beyond.
Then, “Monitoring” for what?
- to present roadmaps for
sustainable development in better
environment on the Earth
Which action is better?
Technology oriented or Object oriented :

Global environment changes bring out
issues that cannot be solved by only
so-called advanced technologies

Object oriented approach should be
the start of discussion
Think about the Earth environment:
We can live out of the
Earth ?
We need spacesuits on the
Earth?
Why?
Can you feel rotation of the Earth?

Everyone of you knows that the Earth is rotating.

How fast?

We, humans, do not really feel the Earth
environment.
About 1,700 km/h at the equator
Remember the Earth Environment

Density:
Earth: 5,520kg/m3
 Saturn: 690kg/m3


Mass >Gravity

Earth: 5.98×1024kg
Mars: 1/10 times
 Jupiter: 3000 times


Distance from the Sun
>Energy
Earth 149.6 million km (1AU)
 Pluto 49.3

Remember Earth environment


temperature:

Earth: 25 ℃

Venus: 480 ℃

Mars: -45 ℃
Rotation and Revolution

Earth: 24 hours/ 365 days

Mercury: 59 days/ 89 days

Pluto: 6.4 days / 248 years
Moon makes the Earth axis stable

The Earth’s axis of rotation is stable (± 1.3 degrees)
because there is the moon beside the Earth.
Earth orbit
Sun
Moon orbit
Moon
Earth
Axis: 23.43
Van Allen radiation belt avoid solar wind

Van Allen belt is formed particles from cosmic rays
and solar wind trapped in the Earth's magnetic field
2,700 million years
ago, Earth's core
made of iron and
nickel was slowly
flowing and they
produced the
magnetic field,
which created the
Van Allen belt.
Miracles:

The Earth exists in such extremely
rare balances in the universe

It forms the environments in which
the organism can be present
Earth history:
Marin Life released Oxygen


4,000 million years ago

Organisms were born in the sea

Ultraviolet and charged particles interfered organisms
to live on the land
3,200 million years ago: Cyanobacteria was
born

Photosynthetic bacteria, which creates organic
matters by using the Sun light

Cyanobacteria decomposes water and uses
hydrogen and releases oxygen
Earth history:
Development of Ozone Layer

Oxygen produced in the sea by the
Cyanobacteria was activated at the
Stratosphere and developed the ozone layer

The Ozone layer absorbs the Harmful ultraviolet
rays and developed the environment in which
organisms could survive on the surface of the
Earth
600 million years of earth surface
temperature
Earth wears
spacesuit
0.1 million years ago
Homo sapience
Experiences of extinction of
organisms on the Earth

More than 95% organisms were disappeared
 570
million years ago: (reason unknown)
 440
million years ago:(reason unknown)
 370
million years ago: (reason unknown)
 250
million years ago : by volcanic gas release
 65
million years ago: by collision of small celestial
body
 End
of the dinosaur era
Present Earth
Potential Environment of the Earth
Climate Map
To tackle with global environment issues

We need integration of observation
data, experts’ knowledge, and
modeling in time and space as well as
decision making to tackle with the
problems

for continuing these activities, remote
sensing data are necessary
This
is monitoring !
Time and Scale in Monitoring
Local LC changes
influence Global
Environment
If we monitor natural vegetation with
appropriate way, we may get the
environmental information as well.
CO2
Evaporation
Global Environment
influences local
conditions
Photosynthesis
Deforestation
Growth condition
Biodiversity
Satellite Observation
Monitoring of
land cover
changes
Yearly
Seasonally
Monitoring of
seasonal changes
Remote sensing is the best way and
necessary tool to monitor these conditions.
21
Spatial scale and monitoring
interval
 Global
Long term：
Annual changes
 Regional
Semi-long term:
Seasonal changes
 Local
Short term：
Daily changes
 Micro
Very short term： Hourly changes
Global to Local, Local to Global:
They are all liked
 Necessity of Geoinformatics
Time and environmental load :
Time and debt with interest
Debt 1 Baht/day
Interest rate: 0.01%/day
Dept
60,000
50,000
40,000
372 Baht/year
30,000
20,000 Baht/30year
52,000 Baht/50year
20,000
10,000
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
How we should manage our
debt / global environment
 For
debt of money
 1)
To stop / decrease the new debt
 2)
To repay the existing debt
 3)
To find a new job for better income
How we should manage our
debt / global environment

For the environmental load
 1)
To stop / decrease the activities which
causes global environment changes
 2)
To recover the environment conditions
 3)
To mitigate the impacts caused by global
environment changes  To find better land use
Remote Sensing is useful for
these actions
Ozone hole
success story
Aug. 2014
CO2 increase works for global warming
Increase of CO2 in atmosphere
Land-Ocean Temperature
Temperature in North and
South Hemisphere
27
What is the main reasons of global warming?
• CO2 emission from fossil fuel
• Deforestation also emits CO2 :
– 20% contribution
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/earth20120621.html
28
Energy balance of the Earth
100
The average annual
global energy balance
during 2000-2004 for
the Earth-atmosphere
system.
*The numbers are
percentages of the energy
received from incoming
solar radiation.
100 = 341W/m2
100
7
104
98
22
Cycles in biosphere
Biosphere
Carbon
cycle
Phosphorus
cycle
Nitrogen
cycle
Water
cycle
Oxygen
cycle
Heat in the environment
Heat
Heat
Heat
food chain and energy flow
First Trophic
Level
Second Trophic
Level
Producers
(plants)
Primary
consumers
(herbivores)
Heat
Third Trophic
Level
Secondary
consumers
(carnivores)
Heat
Fourth Trophic
Level
Tertiary
consumers
(top carnivores)
Heat
Solar
energy
Heat Heat
Heat
Heat
Heat
Detritivores
(decomposers and detritus feeders)
Sawada, 2014
3/23/2015
Carbon Cycle
Sawada, 2014
Ref. Earth Observation of Global Change
3/23/2015
Reliable
global data
33
Anthropogenic ecosystems of the world
LC-LU changes influence climate
Potential Map
34
FOREST COVER LOSS 2000-2005


In this region, the average annual forest loss between 2000
and 2005 was 0.5% of the total forest cover in 2000.
Malaysia had the highest percent average annual loss
expressed as a percent of forest cover in 2000 (1.1%), while
Papua New Guinea had the lowest (0.1%).
Water cycle / hydrologic cycle
Condensation
Rain clouds
Transpiration Evaporation
Precipitation
to land
Transpiration
from plants
Precipitation
Runoff
Surface runoff
(rapid)
Precipitation
Evaporation
from land Evaporation
from ocean
Precipitation
to ocean
Surface
runoff
(rapid)
Infiltration and
Percolation
Groundwater movement (slow)
Ocean storage
Sawada, 2014
3/23/2015
Flood, Cambodia
May 17, 2013/October 24, 2013
CO2 in the atmosphere
GHG emissions influences climate
By fossil fuels and deforestation
Standardization for long term monitoring
The impact of global environmental is shown as phenological
changes of vegetated area.
It is necessary to overcome the influences of cloud, noise and the
sensitivity change of the sensor/satellite systems for comparing
data in a long period of time.
39
Factors of Environmental Change

Population growth:
 population

density
Urban Development:
 air
pollution, greenhouse gas
emissions

Forest development:
 forest
fires, biodiversity, biomass
3 Monitoring needs

Detection of environmental changes :


Detection of influences of environment changes:


environmental parameters / temperature, humidity
vegetation growth, soil erosion, disaster / flooding,
wild fire
Findings of reasons of global environmental
changes;

deforestation, urbanization
Advantages of space technology

worldwide data set: data sets are
available for international actions

Time series dataset: applicable to all
over the world with spatial scales of
each sensor

Invisible information: making invisible
information visible
appropriate index for a long
term global monitoring

To find out the appropriate monitoring
index
 NDVI

is the best index?
 Index
for Urban development?
 Urban
development plan?
Environment influences natural vegetation
Time series environmental parameter by RS
Remote sensing data offers
some indices which help us
understanding the situation
of land covers and their
environmental parameters.
Cyclic observation
Veget.
Index
Seasonal
change
Geographical
condition
Growing season
NPP
Surface
Temp.
Water
Index
warming
？
Temperature
Snow
Index
warming
？
Water
Sunshine
Healthiness of
ecosystem
44
Analysis of Time series dataset
ex. Meteorological abnormality

Meteorological abnormality
 Prediction
of disasters cause by
abnormal weather
 Flooding
Drought
Abnormalities of Seasonal Changes in 1997
Comparison with the average data of 1995 – 1999
Vegetation Condition
Wet
Dry
Abnormality of the world in 1997
Needs of quality information


Land cover

Forest: forest type /density / height /
biomass / species

High accurate field data: species / clown
closure / DBH
Water

Water area: water mass / runoff

Land water quality

Sea water quality
The same forest cover ratio does not
mean the same quality of forest
30% woodland cover
30% woodland cover
30% woodland cover
all with 30% woodland cover
Importance of the Spatial unit
for modeling


Spatial unit is important for operational use

Pixel

Site

Community: sub-country / prefecture

Country

Regional: from upstream to downstream site

World: climate, carbon cycle
Geoinformatics: modeling in time and space
Importance of field study
Field data collection of biomass
Super Forest Observation Site
Integrated Ecosystem Study
Site in the Lower Mekong
地
下
1
0
m
か
ら
地
上
6
0
m
ま
で
を
観
測
Scientific
monitoring of site
environments
Biodiversity
⇒Global
change
Remote Sensing
⇒Global
change
Flux Tower（60m)
⇒Daily～Annual
Forest survey
⇒ annual change
10m土壌断
面
Soil⇒daily～annual change
Forest ecosystem observation site
Integration to landscape level
Landscape Management
Upland
Lowland
Regional Analysia for Asia monsoon area
Studies of water cycle in regional scale is important in
Asia monsoon area
Vegetation environment map derived from satellite data (Indochina)
“Site environment” creates forest ecosystem
Elevation (SRTM)
Terrain Analysis
• Elevation
• Plateau ratio
Terrain Conditions
8-days composite
MODIS data
Forest Map
(from INPE, 250m)
Water coverage map
Water
Conditions
Clustering
results
rainfall, etc…
Temperature
Conditions
Cloud-free datasets
Daytime & Nighttime
temperature
Environment
Map
56
Site environment creates forest ecosystem
[Meaning of
clusters]
Seasonal
change
High
elevation
No seasonal
change
High
highest
temp.
High highest
temp.
Exceedingly dry
Natural environment in Siberia: pixel base
NDVI during growing season
Permafrost
Integration of
various data
Annual growth index
Clear changes in permafrost
area and west side
Rainfall in Permafrost area: 200~300
mm
Larix AGB：BGB＝１：１
Difference of ∑LAI＊(LST-５) since1981
Future Potential by modeling
59
Information to decrease the impact:
for rehabilitation on global environment

Urban development:



To follow urban planning
Forest:

Early detection of forest
development to decrease illegal
logging

Wild fire: Early warning and
detection for fire management
Water

Monitoring of water quality
integration of
observation data,
experts’ knowledge,
and modeling in
time and space as
well as decision
making
REDD+
Reducing Emissions from Degradation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries
Better to conserve forests rather
than to rehabilitate after
deforestation/forest degradation.
• at national and international
level to mitigate climate
change
• How to identify anthropogenic
conversion and the definitions
of "forest degradation" and the
"plus" in REDD-plus are still
under discussion.
Carbon
amount
One of Countermeasures REDD+
Reduce CO2 emissions to prevent global warming
RS plays very
important role
New Himawari-8
The most valuable function of meteorological satellites is their
ability to monitor atmospheric phenomena globally and
uniformly over various areas such as seas, deserts and
mountains where surface-based observation is difficult.
Full-color image!
63
Advanced Himawari Imagers (AHIs)
• Every 10 minutes for the
hemisphere
• 16 observation bands
– 3 for visible
– 3 for near-infrared and
– 10 for infrared
• 500 meters of the
horizontal resolution :
– This resolution enables
precise monitoring of
tropical cyclones and clouds
that bring heavy local rain.
64
MODIS for Environment Monitoring
(Moderate Resolution Imaging spectroradiometer)
• MODIS is a key instrument
aboard on two satellites,
the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua
(EOS PM) .
• viewing the entire Earth's
surface every 1 to 2 days
• acquiring data in 36 spectral
bands.
These data will improve our
understanding of global dynamics
and processes occurring on the
land, in the oceans, and in the
lower atmosphere.
Orbit
10:30 a.m. descending node (Terra)
1:30 p.m. ascending node (Aqua),
sun-synchronous, near-polar, circular
Spatial resolution
250 m (bands 1-2)
500 m (bands 3-7)
1000 m (bands 8-36)
65
Sea surface and land surface temperature
Landsat-8
Free highest resolution satellite data
• New band 1 (ultra-blue) is useful for coastal and aerosol studies.
• New band 9 is useful for cirrus cloud detection.
• The resolution for band 8 (panchromatic) is 15 meters.
• Thermal bands 10 and 11 are useful in providing more accurate surface
temperatures and are collected at 100 meters.
67
Satellites recorded more than 40 years
Natural resources
As peaceful utilization
•1972： Landsat-1 （ERTS1）
then, continues earth observation
for 40 years
•Launch up to 8
•Data is freely available
•About 60% of its use have been
for forestry, agriculture and land
use
Fire
Water
Terrain
6.3
6.7
Forestry
5.8
17.9
7.7
14.3
9.3
Education
9.8
Ecosystem
11.1
11
Climate
Agriculture
Land use
change
http://landsat.usgs.gov/index.php
68
3D information by satellite
Mesh: 30m
Elevation: 6-10m
Mesh: 8m
Elevation: 3m
Mesh: 12m
Elevation: 2m
•
© Airbus Defence and Space 2015.
70
PRISM / ALOS
• high-resolution stereo data (pixel size
of 2.5 m) for cartographic
applications
• The instrument is a "three-line
imager" with three independent
catoptric systems for nadir, forward
and backward-looking
• Each of the three
telescopes employs a
three mirror type optics
design (30 cm aperture
diameter and 2 m focal
length) and several CCD
detectors for pushbroom
scanning.
71
Historical Data
72
Forest Height Measurement by LiDAR
73
Introduction of LiDAR on UAV
for up-scaling field data
Aerial photo by UAV
LiDAR data by UAV
LiDAR expands field data to surroundings
Lidar data of several inventory sites
were obtained.
Lidar data provide 3D information
of forest stands and it makes us
possible to collect forest parameters,
such as the stand height, crown size
and density.
The forest parameters obtained
from Lidar and field inventories are
mapped and used as evaluation data
for stand volume estimation which
shall be derived from satellite data.
75
Forest height map by GLAS
(RH100 and RH50)
RH100
RH50
5
40~
Results of Biomass modeling 201401
Mapping of Carbon Dynamics
in Amazon Forest
Approx. Total AGB(t)
Ensemble
Mean
1.02E+11
SD
2.27E+09
P05
9.85E+10
P95
1.06E+11
Confidence
Intervals
7.46E+09
AGB (t/ha)
0
(Uncertainty: 7.3%)
450~
Literature:
Ensemble Mean AGB
0
Confidence Intervals
1.02E+11
Nogueira(2008), Estimates of forest biomass
in the Brazilian Amazon: New allometric
equations and adjustments to biomass from
wood-volume inventories,
doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.07.022
100
uncertainty(%)
0
40
77
Green House Gas Observation :GOSAT project
78
A train: Satellites within a few minutes
Doctor for Health of the Earth
In local to global
•To check the health
•To find problems
•To care the problem
•To suggest keeping in
good conditions
Examination
Tool: Remote Sensing
Record on: GIS
Importance of health check in community level
[Human beings]
•
•
•
•
•
•
Health of Individual
Face
Weight
Height
disease
Blood investigation
Blood Pressure
•
•
•
•
•
•
[Natural Vegetation]
Green leaves
Biomass
Height
disease
Water flow
Evapotranspiration
Health of community level
• Equipment
• Analysis technology
• weather
• soil, terrain
81
How we make diagnosis of environment health
Diagnosis:
• To evaluate land cover changes from the
point of ecosystem services (functions).
Ex. In case of converting natural vegetation
to rubber plantation.
82
Automatic Deforestation Detection system using MODIS
ADD-MODIS
Google
Map
MODIS
GEOTIFF
83
Remarks:
What we should monitor

Monitor cycles in natural environment, such as
carbon cycle, water cycle, nitrogen cycle as well
as energy budget.

Monitor actions of societies /community which
influence Earth environment.

Develop roadmaps to contribute to better global
environment and monitor the way