Remote Sensing for Site Characterization

This volume describes the feasibility of aircraft- and satellite-based methods of revealing environmental-geological problems relating to waste disposal sites. A balanced ratio between explanations of the technical side and presentations of case studies is maintained.

1 Introduction.- 2 Remote Sensing: An Overview of Physical Fundamentals.- 3 Obtaining Remote-sensing Data.- 3.1 Satellite-based Methods.- 3.2 Aircraft-based Methods.- 3.2.1 Aerial Photographs.- 3.2.2 Nonphotographic Imaging Sensors.- 4 The Use of Remote Sensing in Waste Disposal Site Investigation.- 4.1 Investigative Objectives and Interpretative Criteria.- 4.2 Case Studies.- 4.2.1 Characterization of a Waste Disposal Site.- 4.2.2 Exploring the Immediate Vicinity Around a Waste Disposal Site.- 4.2.3 Subsurface Characteristics of a Waste Disposal Site.- 4.2.4 The Search for New Waste Disposal Sites.- 5 Verification of Remotely Sensed Data.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Virtual Versus In-Situ Verification.- 5.3 Verification of Vegetation Data.- 6 Case Studies.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Archival Aerial Photographs Used to Evaluate the Subsurface of Waste Disposal Sites (Arnstadt, Germany).- 6.2.1 Introduction and Problem Description.- 6.2.2 Geophysical Investigations.- 6.2.3 Interpretation of Aerial Photographs.- 6.2.4 Summary.- 6.3 Airborne Remote Sensing to Characterize Waste Disposal Sites (Schoeneiche, Germany).- 6.3.1 Introduction and Problem Description.- 6.3.2 Interpretation of Aerial Photographs and Scanner Images.- 6.3.3 Summary.- 6.4 Thermal Remote Sensing to Detect Buried Waste Material (Oak Ridge, U.S.A.).- 6.4.1 Introduction.- 6.4.2 Background.- 6.4.3 Imagery Analysis.- 6.4.4 Ground Data.- 6.4.5 Conclusions.- 6.5 Remote Sensing for Monitoring the Effects of Mining in Sudbury, Canada.- 6.5.1 Introduction.- 6.5.2 Sudbury Case Study.- 6.5.3 Summary.- 6.6 Multispectral Remote Sensing to Characterize Mine Waste (Cripple Creek and Goldfield, U.S.A.).- 6.6.1 Introduction.- 6.6.2 Investigation Methodology.- 6.6.3 Case Studies.- 6.6.4 Prioritizing Waste Site Investigations Based on Remote Sensing.- 6.6.5 Summary.- 6.7 Applications of Imaging Spectroscopy Data: A Case Study at Summitville, Colorado.- 6.7.1 Introduction.- 6.7.2 Imaging Spectrometer Data.- 6.7.3 Data Analysis.- 6.7.4 Verification of Imaging Spectrometer Data and Results.- 6.7.5 Mapping Minerals.- 6.7.6 Mapping Vegetation.- 6.7.7 Senescence/Stress Mapping.- 6.7.8 Conclusions.- Epilogue.- Acknowledgements.- Sources of Maps, Photos, and Images.- Glossary of Frequently Used Abbreviations.- References.- Additional References.