Land Surface Remote Sensing in Continental Hydrology

Land Surface Remote Sensing in Continental Hydrology addresses the application of remote sensing for the characterization and monitoring of states of continental surfaces. The authors present the application of space observation in the monitoring of surface water and groundwater, including changes affecting freshwater supplies. Lakes, ponds, wetlands, and changes in river flow are key determinants in the operation of the continental water cycle. In the last ten years, spatial observation of the Earth—particularly continental surfaces—has expanded considerably with the launch of increasing numbers of satellites covering various applications (hydrology, biosphere, flow of surface, snow, ice, landslide, floods). This has paved the way for an explosion in the use of remote sensing data. This book offers essential coverage of space-based observation techniques for continental surfaces. The authors explore major applications and provide a corresponding detailed chapter for the physical principles, physics of measurement, and data processing requirements for each technique, bringing you up-to-date descriptions of techniques used by leading scientists in the field of remote sensing and Earth observation. Provides clear and concise descriptions of modern remote sensing methodsExplores the most current remote sensing techniques with physical aspects of the measurement (theory) and their applicationsProvides chapters on physical principles, measurement, and data processing for each technique describedDescribes optical remote sensing technology, including a description of acquisition systems and measurement corrections to be made