Wednesday, April 15th 2026, 2 p.m.
Claudia Giardino, IREA – CNR, Milano/Italy
Title: Application of remote earth observation in alpine lake monitoring
Abstract: Inland waters are vital environments that provide a multitude of ecosystem services. However, many regions around the world are now facing serious challenges to their freshwater resources, including deteriorating water quality. At the same time, it is crucial to preserve high-quality ecosystems as effectively as possible. In order to understand and model these processes and mitigate the deterioration of water quality or preserve the integrity of ecosystems in a good state, monitoring bio-physical variables that depict water conditions is key. Remote sensing has been recognised as a vital technique for monitoring water quality for over three decades. We have entered an era of unprecedented remote sensing data acquisition, including time series records and real-time data acquired by satellites, aircraft, and other instruments with different spectral, spatial, and temporal resolutions. Information technology solutions are increasingly being used to transform this data into knowledge, and a variety of public and private services are being developed for the water sector accordingly.
This seminar aims to introduce the processing and application of satellite images acquired by multispectral sensors (e.g. Sentinel-2 MSI, Sentinel-3 OLCI) for water quality research and applications, along with spaceborne imaging spectroscopy (e.g. PRISMA). The development steps are mostly presented for Alpine lakes, which are also targeted by the DiMark project, particularly Lake Garda in Italy. Methods for transforming satellite data into user-ready products, considering the typical challenges faced (e.g. atmospheric correction) are presented, alongside an overview of remote sensing techniques for mapping and retrieving biophysical parameters in both optically deep and shallow waters. A series of use cases demonstrating the integration of satellite-derived products with field measurements and modelling to support end users is presented (e.g. phytoplankton mapping, climate studies, WFD reporting), also with respect to DiMark activities.
Bresciani Mariano, Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell'Ambiente, Optical Remote Sensing-Water group, IREA - CNR
Title: Application of remote earth observation in alpine lake monitoring
Abstract: Alpine lakes face major challenges such as eutrophication through global change. Abundant phytoplankton including cyanobacteria and other bloom-forming algae threaten the suitability of water bodies for drinking, recreational and economic purposes. Furthermore, algae blooms are usually associated with reduced biodiversity, lack of oxygen in the deep-water body as well as toxins posing a health risk. These developments can be better tracked and controlled through satellite data used for remote observation and improve collaboration between science and decision-makers.
During the first half of the Dimark project a common in-situ data set was created listening temperature data, Secchi depth data and Chlorophyll data for more than 30 lakes distributed across the Alps. As a first step project in situ data from key lakes and larger lakes were compared/validated to be reliably observed by the OLCI sensor aboard the Sentinel-3 satellite. Temporal trends and spatial trends are presented. Examples for atmospheric and adjacency corrections are shown. Another example includes Secchi depth retrieval as well as validation of S-3 baseline Secchi products from Alplakes using monitoring and citizen science data.
The talks will be in hybrid form:
- Seminar room “Drachenwand” 2nd floor
- Zoom - Link: https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/61657975268?pwd=epimRojgjg605X0XNzCoUhLbo5i73j.1