Guido Staub

By Guido Staub and Catherinne Muñoz

Ice bodies in the semi-arid mountainous regions of Chile are of vital importance for the local population. As variations of their extent are often associated with climate change, this study focuses on the glaciers and glacierets situated in the Commune Alto del Carmen and local and regional climate. We combine statistically Landsat satellite imagery, historical and ongoing weather data. The present study covers a time span of 21 years, 1994–2015. Our results indicate that the extent of all ice bodies has continuously diminished as a consequence of long-term climate variability.

Part of the book: Environmental Applications of Remote Sensing

By Guido Staub

Today, the presence of green areas in cities plays an important role for the well-being of its inhabitants and its sustainable development. Modern cities need green spaces for environmental, psychological, esthetic, economic, and social reasons. In this meaning, Chilean cities, although Chile is still considered by the United Nations1 as a developing economy, are no exception. Given the importance of this common good, it is necessary to optimize its permanent care. An incident factor in the deterioration of vegetation in urban and rural areas is stress, which can be of biotic or abiotic origin. One way to systematize care of trees is by the application of multispectral sensors and modern digital image processing. Once plantations or trees are spectrally characterized, one can proceed to develop plant health mitigation programs. This article shows the potential of remote sensing for tree stress detection, in the central south of Chile. Focus is given on rural areas as forestry for the Chilean economy is of great importance. These approaches can easily be adapted to urban scenarios.

Part of the book: Recent Advances and Applications in Remote Sensing