Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mehmet Karaucak, Daniel Steiniger, Nikolaus Boroffka
Summary: The conflict-ridden recent history in Afghanistan has made it difficult to launch major archaeological projects and advanced field research in the past forty years. However, the increasing availability of satellite imagery and remote sensing methods have provided much-needed impetus for documentation and monitoring of the heritage in Afghanistan. Novel site data obtained through publicly available satellite imagery in the southwestern region of Kandahar include cultural heritage such as settlement mounds, architectural remains, religious monuments, fortresses, and traditional water management systems. The advantages and drawbacks of remote sensing surveys for archaeological research in Afghanistan are discussed, with the shared data for further research and cultural heritage management in the region.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ethan Brewer, Jason Lin, Peter Kemper, John Hennin, Dan Runfola
Summary: Global investments in road infrastructure are hindered by limited accurate information on existing roads. This study utilizes satellite imagery to estimate road quality and travel speed with promising accuracy. Training a convolutional neural network in the US and fine-tuning it in Nigeria results in successful prediction of road quality in Nigeria.
Article
Environmental Studies
Marcel E. Moran
Summary: This study uses satellite imagery to map the presence of marked crosswalks in San Francisco and finds that their distribution is uneven across the city, with higher crosswalk coverage in the northern neighborhoods. The analysis shows that crosswalks often cluster along certain streets and commercial areas, and there are significant variations in crosswalk coverage among different neighborhoods. Furthermore, the study reveals that the distribution of crosswalks is influenced by other factors.
ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING B-URBAN ANALYTICS AND CITY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lucian Blaga, Dorina Camelia Ilies, Jan A. Wendt, Ioan Rus, Kai Zhu, Lorant Denes David
Summary: This study assessed changes in forest cover in a mountain area in north-west Romania and determined the most efficient methods for extracting and classifying forest areas. The results showed a 9% loss of forest cover over a 17-year period, with an average annual decrease of 33.9 hectares. Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF) were found to be the best classification methods.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mark Altaweel, Adel Khelifi, Zehao Li, Andrea Squitieri, Tasnim Basmaji, Mohammed Ghazal
Summary: This communication article calls for UAV users in archaeology to publicly share imagery data and introduces a tool based on deep learning algorithms for instance segmentation and feature identification. Testing with datasets from various regions, the trained data is capable of identifying ruined structures, qanats, and mounded sites. The authors strongly urge the wider publication and use of UAV imagery data in order to improve accuracy.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Rajat Verma, Satish V. Ukkusuri
Summary: This study employed deep learning to detect crosswalks using satellite imagery data and proposed an algorithm to assign the detected crosswalks. The effectiveness of this technique was demonstrated in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, CA, and the influence of increasing distance threshold on classification performance was explored.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah F. Child, Leigh A. Stearns, Luc Girod, Henry H. Brecher
Summary: Researchers used structure-from-motion photogrammetry techniques to generate elevation data from historical Antarctic aerial imagery, overcoming limitations of traditional methods. Through this approach, they successfully estimated that the surface elevation of Byrd Glacier has remained constant for approximately 40 years.
Article
Ecology
Cheryl L. Doughty, Richard F. Ambrose, Gregory S. Okin, Kyle C. Cavanaugh
Summary: The study discussed the use of UAVs and satellite imagery to estimate coastal wetland biomass. It found that UAV estimation showed better correlation with NDVI, and combining high-resolution UAV images with Landsat NDVI can improve accuracy in estimation. UAVs can capture more spatial complexity in aboveground biomass than moderate-resolution Landsat pixels, indicating their potential in characterizing within-marsh variability resulting from local-scale ecological processes.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marco Delle Rose, Paolo Martano, Luca Orlanducci
Summary: This study used satellite imagery and field surveys to identify coastal boulder displacements in Southern Apulia coast, Italy. The analysis found that most observed boulder displacements were caused by storm waves, providing insights into the onshore effect of storm waves on coastal hydrodynamics.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Huitai Hou, Qing Xu, Chaozhen Lan, Wanjie Lu, Yongxian Zhang, Zhixiang Cui, Jianqi Qin
Summary: With the growing maturity of UAV technology, a localization method based on deep learning features of satellite imagery is proposed to improve accuracy in pose estimation in GNSS-denied environments. This method utilizes a top-view optical camera, satellite imageries with geographic coordinates, and a digital elevation model for stable registration, and includes a local optimization method based on bundle adjustment for improved accuracy and robustness. Experiment results show an average localization error within 15 meters under different trajectories when the UAV's relative altitude is 0.5 km.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Goncalo Prates, Cristina Torrecillas, Manuel Berrocoso, Gabriel Goyanes, Goncalo Vieira
Summary: Aerial frames and satellite imagery are used to produce maps for analyzing volcanic eruptions. By applying structure from motion photogrammetry to historical aerial frames of Deception Island, orthographic mosaics and digital elevation models were produced with minimal human intervention. These new digital cartographic products helped identify erupted ashfall and associated destruction, and assessed the volume of erupted ash to be over 0.16 km(3).
Article
Environmental Sciences
Raghda El-Behaedi
Summary: This study utilizes high-resolution satellite imagery to identify and delineate previously unknown subsurface archaeological structures at the ancient Egyptian site of Hermopolis. The use of spectral indices and 3D modeling techniques greatly contributes to the protection and research of archaeological sites.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kasper Johansen, Aislinn F. Dunne, Yu-Hsuan Tu, Burton H. Jones, Matthew F. McCabe
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of high spatial resolution satellite imagery for sub-daily monitoring of coastal water flows and mapping dye plume concentration with the assistance of machine learning methods and high-frequency UAV data. The results show that sub-daily SkySat imagery can effectively track dye plume extent and model dye concentration with low errors, while also showcasing the potential of UAV imagery for scaling between ground data and satellite data for tracking coastal water flow dynamics.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Syeda Iqra Hassan, Muhammad Mansoor Alam, Muhammad Yousuf Irfan Zia, Muhammad Rashid, Usman Illahi, Mazliham Mohd Su'ud
Summary: This research utilizes unmanned aerial vehicles and geographic information systems for detecting and counting rice plants, improving accuracy and efficiency, which is important for monitoring crop quantity and soil health in rice cultivation areas.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhili Zhang, Meng Lu, Shunping Ji, Huafen Yu, Chenhui Nie
Summary: Accurately extracting water bodies from high-resolution remote sensing imagery is a major challenge. This study addresses the difficulty in identifying water body boundaries and semantic inconsistency in feature fusion by designing a novel multi-feature extraction and fusion module. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art segmentation performance and robustness in challenging water body extraction scenarios.
Article
Architecture
M. Sileo, F. T. Gizzi, A. Donvito, R. Lasaponara, F. Fiore, N. Masini
Summary: This paper presents a spatial and temporal multi-scale method applied to a rupestrian church in Matera to protect precious wall paintings by monitoring the relationships between indoor and outdoor environmental parameters.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Carmen Fattore, Nicodemo Abate, Farid Faridani, Nicola Masini, Rosa Lasaponara
Summary: The paper highlights the increasing impact of climate change and natural disasters on cultural heritage, emphasizing the importance of research on protection and monitoring to preserve our history and identity. The use of Google Earth Engine to analyze flood and fire events in southern Italy yielded valuable information for mitigation strategies and support in preserving cultural and natural heritage areas.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Lijie Yan, Peng Lu, Panpan Chen, Maria Danese, Xiang Li, Nicola Masini, Xia Wang, Lanbo Guo, Dong Zhao
Summary: The literature in the field of archaeological predictive models has been expanding in recent years, seeking new factors and effective methods. This paper develops, validates, and discusses an operative archaeological predictive model applied to the Yangshao period in the Songshan area, showing reliable predictions of unknown settlement locations.
ISPRS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEO-INFORMATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicodemo Abate, Alessia Frisetti, Federico Marazzi, Nicola Masini, Rosa Lasaponara
Summary: Unmanned aerial vehicles are the most commonly used solution for obtaining cultural heritage data. This study used aerial surveys to investigate the archaeological site of San Vincenzo al Volturno in Italy, confirming and adding new data to archaeologists' assumptions about the abbey during different construction phases.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Rosa Lasaponara, Nicodemo Abate, Nicola Masini
Summary: This letter assesses the potential applications and challenges of using open and free cloud resources to process big satellite data in the field of archaeological research. The study demonstrates the capability of multitemporal Sentinel 1 and Sentinel 2 data sets in detecting buried archaeological remains related to the ancient Via Appia road. The results show that utilizing cloud platforms and satellite data can effectively support archaeological research.
IEEE GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Salvatore Ivo Giano, Eva Pescatore, Marilisa Biscione, Nicola Masini, Mario Bentivenga
Summary: Knowledge and management of areas with various cultural and natural assets present both challenges and opportunities, requiring a multidisciplinary approach to address. Through scientific cooperation and communication, a deeper understanding of territorial characteristics can be achieved, leading to effective geoconservation efforts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nabil Bachagha, Wenbin Xu, Xingjun Luo, Nicola Masini, Mondher Brahmi, Xinyuan Wang, Fatma Souei, Rosa Lasaponora
Summary: The availability of high-resolution satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data has attracted the attention of scientists and archeologists. This research explores the potential of using a novel method (nonlocal-SAR) to detect buried archeological remains in steep terrain. The study confirms the capability of SAR data to reveal unknown archeological sites.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Danese, Dario Gioia, Valentino Vitale, Nicodemo Abate, Antonio Minervino Amodio, Rosa Lasaponara, Nicola Masini
Summary: Illegal archaeological excavations, also known as looting, cause significant damage to cultural heritage sites. Remote sensing techniques, particularly LiDAR, have proven to be effective tools for the detection and monitoring of looting, especially in densely vegetated areas. This paper presents an ad hoc approach using LiDAR data to detect looting, and tests its efficacy on the Etruscan site of San Giovenale in Italy, showing a high success rate of 85-95%.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicola Masini, Nicodemo Abate, Fabrizio Terenzio Gizzi, Valentino Vitale, Antonio Minervino Amodio, Maria Sileo, Marilisa Biscione, Rosa Lasaponara, Mario Bentivenga, Francesco Cavalcante
Article
Environmental Studies
Nicodemo Abate, Diego Ronchi, Valentino Vitale, Nicola Masini, Andrea Angelini, Francesco Giuri, Antonio Minervino Amodio, Andrea Maria Gennaro, Daniele Ferdani
Summary: This paper explores the potential of using integrated methods such as aerial LiDAR, aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanning, and archaeological survey to detect lost medieval settlements under canopy. The study focused on the site of Altanum in Italy, which was completely covered by vegetation. A comprehensive survey using LiDAR was conducted, followed by enhancement techniques and documentation of visible buildings using photogrammetry and laser scanning. The significant outcome was the creation of a GIS platform that integrated all data to delineate the settlement layout and produce datasets for knowledge and protection purposes.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Antonio Minervino Amodio, Dario Gioia, Maria Danese, Nicola Masini, Canio Alfieri Sabia
Summary: Land use and land cover play a significant role in soil erosion and sediment yield. Researching the past using historical maps can help us understand the future landscape changes, which is hindered by the lack of historical information. To address this, we combined an old paper map, aerial photos, and orthophotos to study land-use history and landscape dynamics, focusing on a segment of the Roman route Via Herculia in Italy. Three land-use scenarios were analyzed for different periods, and a soil erosion model was applied to assess the changes in erosion and sediment deposition. The results indicate an increase in erosion and deposition from 1870-1974, followed by a decrease from 1974-2013.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Nicodemo Abate, D. Roubis, F. Sogliani, V. Vitale, M. Sileo, P. Arzu, R. Lasaponara, N. Masini
Summary: This study utilized multiscale and multisensor remote sensing techniques combined with big data analysis to identify buried archaeological remains or areas of potential archaeological interest. Multiple types of remote sensing data, such as satellite multispectral data, drone-based imagery, and geophysical prospecting, were utilized. The analysis provided insights into the ancient landscape as well as the discovery of small features, contributing to a deeper understanding of the ancient city of Metaponto in southern Italy.
EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Luciano Telesca, Michele Lovallo, Gianfranco Cardettini, Angelo Aromando, Nicodemo Abate, Monica Proto, Antonio Loperte, Nicola Masini, Rosa Lasaponara
Summary: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) and the Fisher-Shannon method in analyzing NDVI MODIS time series and capturing and estimating inner vegetation anomalies in forest covers. The results showed that using SSA and Fisher-Shannon methods, combined with the NDVI time series of the MODIS satellite, effectively identified and characterized subtle but physically significant signals masked by seasonality and annual cycles.
Article
Remote Sensing
Fulong Chen, Huadong Guo, Deodato Tapete, Francesca Cigna, Salvatore Piro, Rosa Lasaponara, Nicola Masini
Summary: This paper reviews the development of imaging radar technology and analyzes its performance and limitations in the field of cultural heritage monitoring and management. It proposes a flexible solution for the integration of imaging radar in cultural heritage through pilot synergy applications in archaeological prospection and cultural heritage diagnosis and conservation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Laura Morero, Antonella Guida, Vito Porcari, Nicola Masini
Summary: Italy has a vast number of Cultural Heritage and Unesco sites, but it is essential to protect, conserve, and enhance their value. Strengthening the knowledge chain and promoting the awareness of protecting Cultural Heritage are crucial for preservation. Digital systematization and online accessibility of information play a key role in disseminating knowledge and ensuring correct interventions for Heritage conservation.
COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE AND ITS APPLICATIONS, ICCSA 2021, PT VIII
(2021)
