Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Malingreau, J. P..
The contribution that AVHRR data can make to resolving the controversy about the deforestation of the Amazon region is discussed. The most significant types of information which such data can supply are pointed out. A color composite is shown and discussed, showing how it points out areas of deforestation.
Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data have been used to assess the dynamics of forest trnsformations in three parts of the tropical belt. A large portion of the Amazon Basin has been systematically covered by Local Area Coverage (LAC) data in the 1985-1987 period. The analysis of the vegetation index and thermal data led to the identification and measurement of large areas of active deforestation. The Kalimantan/Borneo forest fires were monitored and their impact was evaluated using the Global Area Coverage (GAC) 4 km resolution data. Finally, High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT) data have provided preliminary information on current activities taking place at the boundary between the savanna and the forest in the Southern part of West Africa. The AVHRR approach is found to be a highly valuable means for carrying out deforestation assessments in regional and global perspectives.
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The role played by remote sensors on-board the Landsat and NOAA-7 satellites in monitoring and management of three catastrophic events that took place in 1982 and 1983 in Indonesia (two major volcanic eruptions and a large-scale forest fire) is assessed. The modes of operation of the satellite platforms, the types of data derived, and data availability to the users are described, and the sources of failures and delays (such as the presence of clouds, technical and computer errors, red-tape, etc.) are examined. The major drawbacks of the Landsat-supplied information for monitoring short-lived and fast-changing events were the insufficient frequency of data acquisition, delayed delivery of data, and extended times needed for data distribution and processing. Indonesia's NOAA-7 and GMS sensors, although of low spatial resolution, offered higher frequency of data collection, and profited from the existence of a local receiving station. The present value of the space-based imagery is seen mainly in the baseline assessment of the disaster-prone areas, which can assist in preparing these areas for the impending catastrophic events.