IMIS

Publications | Institutes | Persons | Datasets | Projects | Maps
[ report an error in this record ] Print this page

Operational Remote sensing Mapping of Estuarine Suspended sediment concentrations
resort.vgt.vito.be/ormes.htm

English title: Operational Remote sensing Mapping of Estuarine Suspended sediment concentrations
Parent project: Support to the Exploitation and Research of Earth Observation data 1, more
Funder identifier: SR/67/036 (Other contract id)
Acronym: ORMES
Period: December 2004 till December 2006
Status: Completed

Thesaurus term: Remote sensing
Geographical term: ANE, Scheldt Estuary [Marine Regions]
 Institutes | Publications | Dataset 

Institutes (4)  Top | Publications | Dataset 
  • Vlaamse overheid; Beleidsdomein Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie; Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek; Teledetectie en Aardobservatieprocessen (TAP), more, sponsor
  • Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO), more, sponsor
  • Vlaamse overheid; Beleidsdomein Mobiliteit en Openbare Werken; Vlaams Ministerie Mobiliteit en Openbare Werken; Departement Mobiliteit en Openbare Werken; Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium (WL), more, external adviser
  • Vlaamse overheid; Beleidsdomein Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie; Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), more

Abstract
Context and objectives

To assure the accessibility of ports, shipping channels must be dredged regularly to maintain an adequate water depth. Dredging operations are subjected to strong environmental regulations which require that the sediment dynamics are monitored, temporally as well as spatially, in an ever increasing manner. IMDC, the private partner in this project, prepares specifications and recommendations of techniques, equipment and methods for any dredging project. IMDC requires information on the spatial variation of turbidity for e.g. the optimization of the dredging locations to minimize the recirculation of sediments towards harbors after dumping.
To support IMDC in their activities, a service is developed in the ORMES project which provides suspended sediment maps from remote sensing images in an efficient way.
This project aims: (1) to develop a simple and robust procedure for near surface (or 2 D) sediment concentration mapping from remote sensing data (2) to operationalise and automate the procedure and (3) to implement the procedure/software at the private partner.

Results

The following results have been obtained :

We have had a very successful field and airborne campaign. On the basis of this campaign a large database has been generated which contains
- hyperspectral data cubes at different processing levels (radiometrically, atmospherically and geometrically calibrated) covering several stages in tidal cycle.
- turbidity data measured almost continuously during the campaign
- in-situ spectral reflectance measurements
- specific inherent optical properties (backscattering and absorption spectra)
- suspended sediment concentration of a large number of water samples
- chlorophyll content of several water samples

A reliable semi-empirical algorithm, based on a band difference term log-linear regressed against suspended sediment concentration, has been developed to generate suspended sediment maps from airborne hyperspectral data.
The suspended sediment maps produced describe well the known variation of sediment behaviour in the Lower Sea Scheldt area and contribute to the improvement of our knowledge of spatial and temporal sediment distribution in this complex river system. The suspended sediment maps also agreed well with sediment transport model simulations and cross-section turbidity measurements.
A user friendly software has been developed (see next point description of the end product)

Products and services

User-friendly software for the production of suspended matter maps has been written. The user can interact with the software by a self-evident graphical user interface. A manual describing input, output and operation is also delivered. The software will be implemented at the private partner’s and personnel will be trained.

Dataset  Top | Institutes | Publications 
  • Hyperspectral airborne imagery of the Zeeschelde - 2005, more

Publications (5)  Top | Institutes | Dataset 
  • Sterckx, S.; Knaeps, E.; Bollen, M.; Trouw, K.; Houthuys, R. (2006). Operational remote sensing mapping of estuarine suspended sediment concentrations (ORMES), in: Evolutions in hydrography, 6th - 9th November 2006, Provincial House Antwerp, Belgium: Proceedings of the 15th International Congress of the International Federation of Hydrographic Societies. Special Publication (Hydrographic Society), 55: pp. 129-132, more
  • Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek; International Marine and Dredging Consultants (2006). Operational remote sensing mapping of estuarine suspended sediment concentrations (ORMES): progress report 2 covering the period from 15/06/2005 to 15/01/2006. Programmatorische Federale Overheidsdienst Wetenschapsbeleid: Brussel. 14 pp., more
  • Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek; International Marine and Dredging Consultants (2006). Operational remote sensing mapping of estuarine suspended sediment concentrations (ORMES): progress report 3 covering the period from 15/01/2006 to 15/07/2006. Programmatorische Federale Overheidsdienst Wetenschapsbeleid: Brussel. 57 pp., more
  • Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek; International Marine and Dredging Consultants (2009). Operational remote sensing mapping of estuarine suspended sediment concentrations (ORMES): final report. Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid = Belgian Science Policy = Politique Scientifique Fédérale: Brussel. 35 + appendices pp., more
  • Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek; International Marine and Dredging Consultants (2005). Operationele kartering van suspensiesedimentconcentraties in estuaria door middel van aardobservatie (ORMES): voortgangsrapport 1 = Operational remote sensing mapping of estuarine suspended sediment concentrations (ORMES): progress report 1 covering the period from 15/03/2005 to 15/06/2005. Programmatorische Federale Overheidsdienst Wetenschapsbeleid: Brussel. different pagination pp., more

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Institutes | Publications | Dataset