The feasibility of the surface water contamination monitoring by IR thermography is based on three different key points: (a) the thermal sensors able to measure the thermal energy radiating from water and land surfaces with high sensitivity and accuracy; (b) the thermal gradient existing between land/water surfaces and within these; (c) the rendering of the IR raw data, that produce images with a visible augmentation of the anomalies. Illegal sanitary sewer and storm-drain connections, illicit discharges and other “anomalies” on the surface waters could be easily identified by their thermal infrared signatures. If sources of pollution leak, seep or empty into creeks, streams, rivers, lakes and seas their thermal signatures vary from their surroundings and they can be highlighted accurately; in fact, the plume of liquid joining and flowing downstream with the body of water is visible in the thermal infrared spectrum due to the difference in temperatures of the two liquids. Standards methods of pollution-source detection, including on-the-ground water quality sampling and visual stream surveys, do not provide effective coverage of large surface waters. Moreover, where we have small size sources of pollution and the contamination of a wide area, it is very difficult to detect and to correlate causes and effects. The aerial infrared thermography exceeds the current limits of traditional methods of detection. The effectiveness of infrared thermography could be also increased using aerial platform; in fact, if we change the altitude of thermal-sensor (IR-camera), it increases the FOV (field of view) in the acquired scene and we obtain a direct thermal comparison of the targets with other objects in the scenario. The monitoring of the surface waters contamination using aerial infrared thermography, based on our direct experience in the Campania (Italy), has proven an extremely efficient tool to detect the pollution sources and the path of the contaminated waters. We scanned several miles of the coast and flew on critical zones using different aerial platforms technologies (ULM, UAV LTA, Tethered Balloon) and a digital HD IR-camera. In the paper it will be introduced a report about the “discovery” of the surface waters contamination with description of technical instruments and the first IR/visible shots.

Aerial infrared thermography in the surface waters contamination monitoring

LEGA, MASSIMILIANO;NAPOLI, RODOLFO MARIA ALESSANDRO
2010-01-01

Abstract

The feasibility of the surface water contamination monitoring by IR thermography is based on three different key points: (a) the thermal sensors able to measure the thermal energy radiating from water and land surfaces with high sensitivity and accuracy; (b) the thermal gradient existing between land/water surfaces and within these; (c) the rendering of the IR raw data, that produce images with a visible augmentation of the anomalies. Illegal sanitary sewer and storm-drain connections, illicit discharges and other “anomalies” on the surface waters could be easily identified by their thermal infrared signatures. If sources of pollution leak, seep or empty into creeks, streams, rivers, lakes and seas their thermal signatures vary from their surroundings and they can be highlighted accurately; in fact, the plume of liquid joining and flowing downstream with the body of water is visible in the thermal infrared spectrum due to the difference in temperatures of the two liquids. Standards methods of pollution-source detection, including on-the-ground water quality sampling and visual stream surveys, do not provide effective coverage of large surface waters. Moreover, where we have small size sources of pollution and the contamination of a wide area, it is very difficult to detect and to correlate causes and effects. The aerial infrared thermography exceeds the current limits of traditional methods of detection. The effectiveness of infrared thermography could be also increased using aerial platform; in fact, if we change the altitude of thermal-sensor (IR-camera), it increases the FOV (field of view) in the acquired scene and we obtain a direct thermal comparison of the targets with other objects in the scenario. The monitoring of the surface waters contamination using aerial infrared thermography, based on our direct experience in the Campania (Italy), has proven an extremely efficient tool to detect the pollution sources and the path of the contaminated waters. We scanned several miles of the coast and flew on critical zones using different aerial platforms technologies (ULM, UAV LTA, Tethered Balloon) and a digital HD IR-camera. In the paper it will be introduced a report about the “discovery” of the surface waters contamination with description of technical instruments and the first IR/visible shots.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11367/28407
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