What are the applications of satellite remote sensing technology in disaster risk and reduction?

Satellite remote sensing technology can be used to monitor a variety of disasters, and can also be applied to the following aspects:

(1) Man-made disasters. For example, on the 2nd and 5th days after the "September 11" terrorist incident in the United States, IKONOS satellites (with a resolution of 1 m) obtained satellite data of the area and compared them with the satellite images before the incident to provide an important basis for timely and objective assessment of the disaster situation.

(2) Monitoring of volcanoes. For example, France has established an effective volcano monitoring method based on satellite data.

(3) Prevention and control of sandstorms. China's desertification monitoring center and other units have carried out research on remote sensing monitoring technology and disaster impact assessment model of sand and dust storms. The results show that it is possible to monitor the formation, early warning and development of sand and dust storms and assess its hazard degree by taking the processing and analysis of meteorological satellite cloud image data as the main technical means. China has established a "satellite remote sensing monitoring and disaster assessment system for dust storms" and achieved some results.

(4) Forest pine caterpillar disaster monitoring. Forest pest disaster is one of the major disasters in forestry production. It is known as non smoking forest fire. In the 1980s, the pine caterpillar disaster was serious in the north and south of China. The remote sensing satellite ground station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences successfully monitored the pest disaster in Gushan forest farm in Anhui Province by using TM images. It was identified by relevant departments and fully met the requirements of production management.

(5) Land desertification. The main task of the desertification monitoring center established in 1995 is to make regular prediction and trend prediction of land desertification and put forward various countermeasures for desertification control by using satellite remote sensing technology and with the support of GIS, GPS and current communication means.

(6) Many cases at home and abroad show that remote sensing monitoring has achieved satisfactory results for disasters such as typhoon, tornado, forest degradation, frost, soil erosion and marine oil spill pollution.