Editorial: Remote Sensing for Environmental Studies

Abstract

The need for next-generation sensors for exploring the dynamics and interactions between natural systems and human society is greater now than ever in the field of environmental informatics. These new and existing optical and microwave sensors should have enhanced the detection capabilities, preferably stand-off, and be sufficiently rugged to provide detection to warn to environmental change in diverse and extreme environments. Data streams from such optical and microwave remote sensing sensors, either air-borne and/or space-borne must be integrated and processed so that the data is realized at the level of the user in a simple and clear format to allow for rapid decision making by environmental managers. Though many technology barriers currently exist to achieve these desired sensor features, it is believed that the combined insights, know-how and capabilities of the cross-disciplinary teams of scientists and engineers in the world can overcome several of these barriers to achieve the development of required detection capabilities for environmental uses based on the current satellites available. It is the aim of this special issue to present the multidisciplinary studies, which demonstrate some of the success in the field of remote sensing for the environment. This special issue therefore collects six papers to explore several challenges both in the atmospheric and terrestrial environments.

Keywords: Remote sensing, environment