Inventory of Alpine-Relevant Parameters for an Alpine Monitoring System Using Remote Sensing Data (ALPMON)

Project Leader: Dr. Klaus Steinnocher

This project aims at the development of procedures for the assessment of alpine parameters derived from remote sensing data. These parameters shall provide information on the stage of vegetation and for the early detection of changes in the alpine environment for use in the International Convention on the Protection of the Alps (Alpine Convention) and in national administrations.
The Alpine Convention concluded that alpine environment is under imminent threat, and demands comprehensive counter-measures. While the Alps represent one of the most sensitive ecosystems in Europe the pressure on them is far greater than on other environments. Far-sighted national and cross-border planning is necessary to ensure that preventive measures can be implemented by nature conservation councils, regional planning departments, tourist boards and forestry and agricultural authorities. The success of such measures crucially depends on the availability of information about the kind of alpine vegetation patterns found and their development dynamics.
ALPMON envisages that, by means of the analysis of TM, SPOT and other high resolution satellite images of alpine areas, a basic landscape register for an alpine monitoring system will be compiled which serves as the basis for planning tasks. This work will be performed for five test sites, located in the Austrian, German, Italian and Swiss part of the Alps.
In order to demonstrate the feasibility of the alpine monitoring system specific applications will be performed in close co-operation with national customers in the following fields:

	Hydrological modelling of water run off
	Production of avalanche and landslide risk maps
	Development of a remote sensing aided environmental quality assessment in respect of tourism
	Supporting national park research and development
	Integration of classification results in CORINE land cover.

A further result shall be a concept for the establishment of a remote sensing based alpine information system introduced to the Alpine Convention. In order to meet the requirements and needs of the Alpine Convention and the involved national administrations, an intensive survey of the customers needs will be carried out during the course of the project.

The first phase of the project concentrated on the detailed investigation of the customers requirements, the definition and harmonisation of parameters to be derived from remote sensing sources, the pre-processing (geometric rectification, atmospheric correction, topographic normalisation) of the satellite data, and the data preparation (texture analysis and image fusion). Based on these results, in the second phase of the project the satellite data were classified with respect to the European as well as national customers needs, and the results were verified independently. With these activities an advanced basis has been established, thus, enabling proper application in the test sites according to the customers needs. Finally, the representation of the results was harmonised and the results were integrated into a common data base. A concept for a remote sensing based alpine information system was established with respect to the needs of the Alpine Convention. The results could clearly demonstrate the high value that is added to the observation, investigation, and monitoring of typical Alpine questions by satellite remote sensing methodologies.

Project Home-Page