ALGORITMI

The analysis of the hydrological cycle using remote sensing data is a research topic that presents interesting technical and scientific challenges to obtain a precise evaluation of the natural and anthropogenic contributions to the water balance. Significative examples are the estimates of the use of water resources, the extent and thickness of the snowpack, and agricultural-forest biomass. The monitoring of these individual contributions is fundamental for both the management of water resources and for the prediction of risk events (e.g. floods, avalanches, landslides).

The ALGORITMI project aims at developing innovative algorithms and techniques based on machine learning methods for the estimation of biophysical parameters like soil moisture, agricultural-forest biomass and snow related to characterizing the different components of the hydrological cycle. These algorithms, mainly based on the use of SAR satellite data, will be implemented, calibrated and validated by Eurac at regional scale (South Tyrol) and, in more detail, on the Mazia Valley for the study of agricultural-forestry coverage and on Val Senales for snow, with the support of ancillary data and in-situ measurements coming from field campaigns organized concurrently to satellite passes.

Contact person: Claudia Notarnicola claudia.notarnicola@eurac.edu and Giovanni Cuozzo giovanni.cuozzo@eurac.edu