Abstract
Remote sensing can provide useful information in post-disaster assessments, depending on the type of hazard and when in the emergency response and recovery stage, the particular types of information are required. Three general types of post-disaster assessment can be defined, for which remote sensing may contribute to data gathering and information delivery: (1) large-area reconnaissance, situational awareness, and/or mapping of damage extent and severity (i.e., what communities suffered the most impact), (2) impact to family stability in terms of homes and businesses damaged or destroyed, and (3) impact to critical infrastructure such as roads, energy grids (electrical, gas and water), and public facilities.
This chapter provides a comprehensive perspective on the rationale and end-to-end design of time-sensitive remote sensing systems (TSRSS) that are able to provide timely information on magnitude and extent of damage immediately following hazard events in support of emergency management decision-making. An emphasis is placed on airborne platforms because of their greater flexibility and lower altitude of operation, which enables finer spatial resolution sensing and greater control over imaging characteristics, as well as improved temporal tasking.
Remote sensing and related technologies associated with small aircraft, consumer grade digital cameras, and image processing procedures have matured substantially over the past decade and have been integrated into prototype TSRSS that are ready for operational and cost effective implementation for post-hazard damage assessment. Although some technology development in the area of image analysis still remains to be accomplished, the main limitations to implementation are institutional in nature (e.g., funding, technology coordination and acceptance, and government regulations). These limitations are worth overcoming so that TSRSS are implemented to save lives, aid in recovery, rehabilitation and remediation, and reduce clean-up costs associated with disasters.
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Acknowledgements
The work was partially funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey (Award Number G00009228) and by the National Science Foundation Directorate of Engineering, Infrastructure Management and Extreme Events (IMEE) program (Grant Number G00010529).
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Stow, D., Lippitt, C., Coulter, L., Davis, B. (2015). Time-Sensitive Remote Sensing Systems for Post-Hazard Damage Assessment. In: Lippitt, C., Stow, D., Coulter, L. (eds) Time-Sensitive Remote Sensing. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2602-2_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2602-2_2
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