Remote Sensing of the Earth as a Method of Assessing Environmental Quality of Urban Areas

Abstract

Introduction: Spatial zoning of an urban area by the level of anthropogenic burden using land-based research methods is very time-consuming. Since the end of the 20th century, the usage of the Earth remote sensing (ERS) techniques has served as their more efficient alternative. The study objectives included geoinformation zoning and evaluation of the level of technogenic changes in the areas according to NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) values. Materials and methods: The cities of the Voronezh Region and their suburban ten-kilometer territories were chosen as the study objects. For the spatial analysis of the area of anthropogenically modified territories based on the example of the cities of the Voronezh Region we created an archive of multichannel satellite images taken by the Landsat-7 and Landsat-8 satellites. The data were borrowed from the Website of the US Geological Survey. Space images were grouped by two periods (the years of 2001 and 2016). Depending on NDVI values, territories with high and low anthropogenic burden, natural framework zones, and water bodies were distinguished. Results: We established that the smallest percentage of areas of the natural framework and their poor location was observed in the city of Voronezh. The largest area occupied by the natural framework was identified within the town of Borisoglebsk. This fact is attributed to the sensible policy of ensuring environmental and hygienic safety of the population implemented by the regional and municipal authorities. Discussion: At present, it is still impossible to fully use space monitoring data to assess health risks of technogenic factors; they can only be used simultaneously with ground monitoring that includes instrumental and laboratory monitoring of environmental quality indicators within the framework of the socio-hygienic monitoring. Conclusions: The analysis of changes in the proportion of areas with a high anthropogenic burden relative to the natural framework performed using satellite images taken in 2001 and 2016 showed an increase in the technogenic burden on the urban environment.