An examination of some problems and solutions in monitoring urban areas from satellite platforms

Abstract

Abstract A discussion of the benefits of satellite remote sensing to urban studies is followed by a consideration of resolution requirements and associated problems. Problems include loss of contextual clues for interpretation, heterogeneity of cover surfaces, temporal differences in atmospheric effects and registration of different scenes. A number of solutions to these problems are considered, such as the use of reference surfaces for atmospheric corrections and the use of targetted control points for temporal change monitoring. The specific advantages of high-resolution satellite data are particularly considered