UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 15, Page 3
December 14, 1995
Remote sensing; Varied applications range from space to sea

     On land, on sea and in space, the Center for Remote Sensing is
involved in state, national and international projects studying
oceans, bays and coastal zones using satellite technology, according
to Vic Klemas, director.
     The center houses an advanced image analysis lab and a remote
sensing satellite receiving station that can analyze, display and
store images as they are transmitted from space. Such information as
ocean temperature, circulation, and sediment plumes of water from
estuaries are transmitted, and the data is then analyzed by computers.
The information can be used to monitor pollution, currents, turbidity
and erosion in oceans, bays, rivers and coastal areas.


Delaware Coastal Ecosystems
     During the 1980s, the center developed techniques for satellite
observation of coastal ecosystems on the East coast, ranging from Nova
Scotia to Georgia. In Delaware, the center presently is involved in
two studies of coastal ecosystem health, funded by the National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with a two- and
three-year grants totaling $345,000. Klemas, research associate
Richard Field and graduate students Oliver Weatherbee and Allison
Bailey form the project team in collaboration with a dozen faculty and
students from other departments.
     One of the indicators of healthy wetlands is the biomass or dry
leaf weight of an area, Klemas said. To determine the biomass by
traditional methods, scientists go to a site, cut the grass, dry it
and then weigh it. This can be a time consuming and expensive project
for a large area.
     By using satellite imagery, the process can be streamlined. In
order to develop the methodology for interpretation of the satellite
images, the team has selected two National Research Reserve sites-the
St. Jones River and Blackbird Creek watersheds.
     A field team is monitoring the marshes and surrounding land use
in those areas using on-site testing and comparing the findings with
the satellite images and other data stored in a Geographic Information
System (GIS).
     The results of their research will improve coastal management on
a regional and national scale by utilizing remotely sensed data in a
GIS framework to integrate and evaluate land use change and condition
indicators, which are important for monitoring and managing
wetland/estuarine health and non-point source pollutant run-off.


Training the astronauts
     The Center for Remote Sensing is involved in a project for the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to train
astronauts to analyze space shuttle imagery, both visually and by
digital techniques, to learn about oceanographic phenomena. The center
has received a two-year grant of $78,000 from NASA and the Office of
Naval Research to carry out the project.
     Klemas, plus the center's associate director Xiao-Hai Yan, senior
research associate Q. Zheng and graduate student Jimmy Wang travel to
Houston to train astronauts and NASA staff.
     Such phenomena as internal waves beneath the ocean surface,
surface waves, coastal and estuarine currents, river plumes and
coastal changes, as well as ship emissions and wakes, can be
identified in photographic and radar data from space shuttles.
     This kind of information not only adds to scientific research but
has practical applications as well. For example, the presence of large
internal waves is important to off-shore oil rigs and shipping.
Pollution, such as oil slicks or ocean-dumped waste, can be located,
and major erosion and storm damage can be viewed. These problems then
can be addressed.
     With the specialized training provided by the Delaware team,
astronauts can become more proficient in analyzing the data and
imagery gathered from the space shuttles and make significant
contributions to oceanographic and coastal research globally, Klemas
said.


Coastal management in the Baltic
     Since the early 1970s, the center has performed coastal pollution
studies in many parts of the world including Ecuador, Costa Rica,
Argentina and China. More recently, the center has focused on the
Baltic Sea in Europe.
     An international project of the center, funded by the U. S.
Department of State Scientific Technical and Exchange Program with a
two-year grant of $50,000, involves coastal management of Baltic Sea
resources in Lithuania. Klemas and Weatherbee are working with the
Lithuanian institutes of oceanography and geography.
     There has been a recent trend in the Nemunas River Basin to
convert the delta acreage from grassy areas for raising cattle into
small farms. As the land use has changed, there has been an increased
pollutant runoff from fertilizers, animal waste and pesticides. This
has affected the water quality of the Kursiu Lagoon Estuary emptying
into the Baltic Sea. There are rich fishing areas in this region, and
the lagoon serves as a nursery for Baltic Sea fisheries, so this
project is of vital concern to Lithuania and its neighbors.
     The project will use ship data and satellite imagery to study the
problem and make recommendations for managing and planning the lagoon
area of the Baltic coast to sustain both agriculture and natural
wetlands. Based on the pilot study, the techniques will be applied to
other areas of the Baltic Sea.
     A native of Lithuania, who grew up in the United States, Klemas
visited his homeland in 1991 and 1995 for the National Academy of
Science and NOAA and established a working relationship with
scientists there. During that visit, he laid the groundwork for
studying coastal land use and water pollution problems.
     "Recent advances in our ability to detect coastal changes with
high-resolution satellite sensors, model and interpret data with the
help of Geographic Information Systems, and transmit data via the
Internet will significantly help coast resource managers obtain the
needed information and make the right decisions," Klemas said.
                                                   -Sue Swyers Moncure