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Remote sensing techniques

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Remote sensing techniques for more

effective climate change and
environmental monitoring in
Antarctica

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Remote sensing techniques for more effective climate

change and environmental monitoring in Antarctica

Working paper submitted by the United Kingdom

Summary

Satellite remote sensing is widely used today for monitoring the Antarctic environment and the
study of the effects of regional climate change. This document invites the Committee for
Environmental Protection (CEP) to analyze how these techniques can help in their work and how to
ensure that we take these important opportunities and each common.

Introduction

The use of satellites for surveillance of Antarctica has increased since it began more than 30 years.
The observations obtained with space instruments are coming into common to detect and measure
changes shape. To improve access to an increasing range of satellite data, these applications have
achieved virtually all branches of environmental science and polar climate. This paper presents the
advantages and disadvantages of space observations to monitor climate and the Antarctic
environment, and examples of their successful application today.

Benefits of space remote sensing

Environmental observations are needed to detect changes accurately locate landforms, quantify and
identify their physical characteristics. No remote satellite instruments, observations are limited to
those obtained from the land, ship or plane. These are costly coverage, resolucin and repeatability
limited and often occur with associated environmental impacts such as air emissions and habitat
alterations.

Land and air measurements are limited due to the hostile Antarctic environment, the ability to
access only in summer, the cost and difficulty of logistics in remote regions and the large size of the
area to be surveyed.
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Satellite remote sensing provides a number of real advantages over terrestrial systems and aerial
observation:

1. Prvida regional scale observations over very large areas.

2. The comments are repeatable and regular.

3. Measurements can be taken throughout the year.

4. With some types of instruments, observations can be made even when the sky is overcast
or no sunlight.
5. The data collected are quantifiable.

6. The instruments are calibrated and are constant.

7. Observations are noninvasive and have an impact on the local environment.

8. The cost of access to data is low compared to the cost of operating land or air systems.

Disadvantages of space remote sensing

Despite these very significant advantages, satellite methods have some disadvantages:

Many satellite instruments are based on sunlight, which means that it is necessary that there be
clouds and sunlight to observe the Earth's surface.

1. Large volumes of data involve a balance between spatial resolution and coverage, ie,
greater experience usually involves lower spatial detail.

2. The interval between repeat observations are often fixed, which means less flexibility for
data collection.

3. Data collected through satellite instruments often are not direct measurements required
parameter, but is based on algorithms designed to approximate measurement.

4. To validate the data obtained through satellite instruments, direct measurements of the
land required.

5. Taking into account the total costs of a satellite mission, including design, construction,
launch and operation in orbit, the satellite remote sensing is expensive.

6. Data policy and licensing agreements of the end of some of the satellite operators can be
very restrictive and costly when the data are considered users.
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Application of remote sensing data in Antarctica

Satellite remote sensing is widely used today for monitoring the Antarctic environment and the
study of the effects of regional climate change. Current applications include:

Detecting changes in vegetation

Is recognized proved effective to detect the characteristic spectral signature of chlorophyll via
satellite data on the Antarctic Peninsula (Fretwell et al, 2011) methods. Despite the relatively
low levels, you can use images with higher resolution Landsat or type (Figure 1) to map the
distribution of vegetation in Antarctica.Increased vegetation and viability of invasive species is
one of the expected consequences of warming in this region.

Surveillance species

It is common to see penguins and other birds through satellite images because the spatial
resolution is not good enough. However, colonies or groups of some species can be seen clearly
due to its size and style. Recent work to map the distribution of colonies of emperor penguins
(Fretwell et al, 2009) found fecal stains areas of sea ice to identify the location of the colonies
(Figure 2).They are currently using high-resolution satellite images to calculate the size and
population of the colonies of emperor penguins. Recent work in the Ross Sea has made a count
of the number of Weddell seals with high-resolution images (Figure 3).

Changes in the ice sheet and glaciers

The data obtained through satellite instruments have been fundamental to detect changes across
the Antarctic ice sheet. Repeated measurements of the height of the ice sheet and glaciers using
satellite altimeters provide valuable information on changes in ice volume and increased
contributions to sea level. The use of latest techniques employing synthetic aperture radar
provides information about ice dynamics by mapping the surface speed.

Collapse of ice shelves

A key indicator of regional climate change is the decline and loss of ice shelves in the Antarctic
Peninsula (Cook & Vaughan, 2010). To understand the factors controlling the collapse of ice
shelves and predict future changes in the ice shelves, you need to have a clear picture of the
spatial and temporal patterns of such changes. Due to the size and distribution of these
landforms, only satellite remote sensing can provide the necessary observations (Figure 4).

Trends in extent of sea ice

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The satellite instruments have been recording data on the global concentration of sea ice for
over 30 years. This allows to study trends in sea ice extent, which currently indicate a rise since
the late 70s (Turner et al, 2009). The details of the spatial variability in sea ice extent (Figure 5)
provide information about the determinants of the formation of sea ice and the distribution of
keys species such as penguins.

Oceanic changes

other satellite data on ocean such as ocean productivity and temperature of the sea surface,
which provide valuable information on climate change models in the region parameters can be
obtained.

Future development and conclusions

Satellite remote sensing continues to develop and offer new possibilities to monitor satellites and
Antarctica.

In particular, improve the specifications of satellite instruments that will provide data more spatial
resolution over large areas. Most satellites will allow more frequent acquisitions, which will provide
a clearer picture of the change with time.

It is also possible to increase the spectral information collected by new instruments that will enable
a much more effective characterization of the ground surface. A recent study funded by the UK has
investigated the use of very detailed spectral information (hyperspectral data) to determine their use
in mapping different plants and detect changes in distribution. Have plans in the future
hyperspectral satellites will enable the widespread use of these methods and the application for
monitoring other issues, such as pollution and the impact of humans.

Recommendation

It is clear that satellite remote sensing provides effective techniques for monitoring the Antarctic
environment and the changes that occur as a result of climate change. The development and launch
of future satellite systems will provide new data and opportunities to improve monitoring of the
continent. It recommends that the CPA:
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1. consider and endorse the capability of remote sensing to contribute significantly to future
environmental monitoring programs, including in the context of protected area management
and monitoring of the impact of climate change;
2. consider how else the utilization of remote sensing data can support the work of the CEP
and the ATCM; and
3. continue to explore opportunities to use and investigate new monitoring applications.

References

LaRue, MA, JJ Rotella, RA Garrott, DB Siniff, D. Ainley, GE Stauffer, DC Porter, and PJ Morin.
2011. Satellite imagery can be used to detect variation in abundance of Weddell seals (Weddell
seal), in Erebus Bay, Antarctica.Polar Biology, in press.

Fretwell et al. 2011 Detecting and mapping vegetation distribution on the Antarctic Peninsula from
remote sensing data. Polar Biol., 34. 273-281

Fretwell, Peter T.; Trathan, Philip N. 2009 Penguins from space: faecal stains reveal the location
of emperor penguin colonies.Global Ecology and Biogeography, 18 (5). 543-552.

Cook, AJ; Vaughan, DG.2010 Overview of areal Changes of the ice shelves on the Antarctic
Peninsula over the past 50 years. The Cryosphere, 4 (1). 77-98.

Turner, J., JC Comiso, GJ Marshall, TA Lachlan - Cope, T. Bracegirdle, T. Maksym, MP Meredith,

Z. Wang, and A. Orr.2009 Non - annular atmospheric circulation change induced by stratospheric
ozone depletion and Its role in the recent Increase of Antarctic sea ice extent, Geophys.Res Lett, 36,
L08502, doi:.. 10.1029 / 2009GL037524.

Appendix 1 - Figures support

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Figure 1: Vegetation (red) detected by high resolution satellite images Quickbird Islands
Ryder Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. Copyright on the image of DigitalGlobe, Inc.
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Figure 2: The brown color of a fecal stain on the sea ice indicates the location of the
emperor penguin colonies. Copyright on the image of DigitalGlobe, Inc.

Figure 3: Image of Worldview-1 (0.6 m resolution) of Weddell seals hauled east of

Inaccessible Island, Erebus Bay, Antarctica scale of 1: 2,000.This is an example of a
suitable satellite imagery for use in counting seals. Copyright on the image of
DigitalGlobe, Inc., provided through the Programme Commercial Images of the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, NGA)
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Figure 4: Image of synthetic aperture radar Polar View of the remains of the Wilkins ice
shelf after its partial collapse in 2009 (the red line marks its anterior surface). Satellite
image of Envisat ASAR provided earlier by the European Space Agency.
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Figure 5: The archive of 30 years of observations of sea ice using satellite passive
microwave provides a picture of the change in the duration of annual sea ice.A graphic
produced by Fleming (British Antarctic Survey, BAS), based on passive microwave satellite
data.(Comiso, J. 1990 quarterly update.

DMSP SSM / I Daily and Monthly Gridded Bootstrap Polar Sea Ice Concentrations [1979
- 2007]. Edited by J. Maslanik and J. Stroeve. Boulder, Colorado USA: National Data
Centre on Snow and Ice. Digital media.)