Environmental Remote Sensing and Systems Analysis

Reflecting the dramatic changes in the field due to global climate change, economic development, and population growth, this book presents an integrated, quantitative, systems-level method of remote sensing that is essential for tracking down the dynamics of coupled natural and human systems. It provides systematic coverage of water quality monitoring, air quality monitoring, and land-use patterns and degradation, from the urban to the global scale. Focusing on applications to enhance field-oriented problem solving, it explores new methods and techniques to demonstrate state-of-the-art accomplishments and future trends in remote sensing.

Using a systems analysis approach and extensive case studies, Environmental Remote Sensing and Systems Analysis shows how remote sensing can be used to support environmental decision making. It presents a multidisciplinary framework and the latest remote sensing tools to understand environmental impacts, management complexity, and policy implications.

Organized into three parts, this full-color book provides systematic coverage of water quality monitoring, air quality monitoring, and monitoring of land use patterns and degradation. Chapters elaborate on the interactions between human and natural systems, addressing questions such as "what are the regional impacts of an oil spill in coastal environments?" and "how does urbanization affect the rate of infiltration of water at urban–rural interfaces?" Throughout, contributors discuss new techniques and methods for measurements, mathematical modeling, and image processing.

Key features:

• Compares data mining, machine learning, and image processing methods to help you select the best one for your needs



• Incorporates ground-based monitoring networks as part of air and water quality management



• Emphasizes environmental information management, with proper integration of GPS, GIS, and existing environmental databases



• Shows how modeling can be used for decision making



• Examines how remote sensing can be used to understand environmental health implications and to shape environmental management policies



• Demonstrates how systems analysis can be used to aid in environmental policy analysis



• Discusses opportunities for integrated field and laboratory studies in remote sensing education

A useful reference for students, professionals, scientists, and policy makers in environmental management and informatics as well as environmental, agricultural, forest, and sustainability sciences, this book shows readers how to m