Satellite Remote Sensing For Operational Hydrology

Traditional means of data gathering are inadequate for present purposes in hydrology and water management. Thus, hydrologists are urgently seeking new ways for supplementing their conventional data supplies. Satellite remote sensing is being explored increasingly as one possible answer to such data acquisition problems, both because of its perceived facility for providing greatly improved space and time coverage of key hydrological observation systems; and because the technologies of data acquisiton, transmission and processing have become more advanced and more capable. Although the use of remote sensing - especially from satellites - is currently less well developed in these contexts than in support of many other Earth resource and environmental sciences, much successful hydrological research has already been based upon satellite data and in limited but important ways satellite data have already begun to be used in water monitoring and management operations.

The book provides comprehensive information on possible applications of remote sensing data for hydrological monitoring and modelling as well as for water management decisions. Mathematical theory is provided only as far as it is necessary for understanding the underlying principles. The book is especially timely because of new programs and sensors that are or will be realised. ESA, NASA, NASDA as well as the Indian and the Brazilian Space Agency have recently launched satellites or developed plans for new sensor systems that will be especially pertinent to hydrology and water management. New techniques are presented whose structure differ from conventional hydrological models due to the nature of remotely sensed data.

With contributions from a panel of researchers from a wide range of fields, the chapters of this book focus on evaluating the potential, utility and application of high resolution satellite precipitation products in relation to surface hydrology.