Satellite and Airborne Remote Sensing Data for Monitoring Degraded Areas

* Corresponding author. ** Work supported by P.O.N. 2000/2006 “Ricerca Scientifica, Sviluppo Tecnologico, Alta Formazione” per le Regioni Obiettivo 1, D.M. 593/00, art.12, Misura 1.3. “Sviluppo dei Distretti Industriali per le Osservazioni della Terra”. Abstract – This study introduces two applications of remotely sensed data to detect degraded areas and to evaluate the relative pollution produced in the neighborhood areas. The first one regards the possible methodology to extract spatial information for dumps monitoring based on the discrimination ability of texture analysis. The second one analyses the spectral behaviour of an area stressed by an industrial settlement in Southern Italy. Both cases have been studied with the aid of high and very high resolution images. The general purpose is the development of models and automated procedures to identify environmental parameters associated to pollution and degradation by using satellite images.