When we started with remote sensing for soils at the UCLouvain in 2003, we had to rely on airborne hyperspectral campaigns organized every two years by the Belgian Science policy STEREO programme. Since then, the availability and quality of optical satellite remote sensing such as the Sentinel 2 multispectral instrument have dramatically changed the paradigm for soil mapping and monitoring.
Remote sensing of soil organic carbon (SOC) becomes feasible covering the vast majority of the croplands at regional scales and continental scales within the framework of the Worldsoils project financed by the European Space Agency. A new generation of space-based hyperspectral missions is under implementation and there is no doubt that this will enhance the performance of soil property mapping and monitoring still further.
The speakers illustrate the need for remote sensing in the framework of the EU Soil Mission, the challenges for acquiring a full coverage of the croplands, the exciting potential of the new generation of hyperspectral satellites, the challenges of selecting the optimal conditions for soil property prediction and last but not least the potential for remote sensing in the framework of regenerative agriculture and carbon farming.
Material
- Summary
- Toward soil mapping and monitoring from imaging spectroscopy: Capacity of new generation hyperspectral satellite sensors
- Defining the surface conditions for remote applications. Experiences from the STEROPES-EJP Soil project
- Bridging the gap between science and practice How can remote sensing be relevant in a carbon certification programme?
Videos