On the utilization of ENVISAT AATSR data for geological/hydrological applications

Abstract

ENVISAT AATSR data over the Indian subcontinent have been procured from ESA and preprocessed with DESCW and BEAM 2.2 software for extraction of our area of interest. Two intensive test sites have been chosen, including a part of the Himalayan region and the Sundarban Delta. Calibration of AATSR thermal IR data for surface temperature modelling has been attempted over the Sundarban Delta region. Later, the surface temperature maps have been utilized to generate the momentary and daily evapotranspiration patterns over the area of interest which have been further used for broad land use/crop classifications. A simplified model suggested by Soer [Estimation of regional evapotranspiration and soil moisture conditions using remotely sensed crop surface temperatures, Remote Sensing of Environment 9 (1980) 27–45] has been used to estimate evapotranspiration over the area of interest. The results match with the earlier observation in this region. Further processing of AATSR data has been performed over the Himalayan region to extract two minor faults across the main thrust belts.