Remote sensing and GIS in hydrogeology

Excerpt

Satellites and airplanes are fascinating. The technology is still young enough for many to remember when it was not around. Airborne and spaceborne imagery have also received their share of attention as they have become better and increasingly detailed, making progress highly visible. The recent development of viewers like Google Earth has yet again amazed and inspired many people. However, as “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” (Arthur Clarke, Profiles of The Future, 1961), it is difficult for people unfamiliar with remote-sensing technology to judge what is and is not possible today. Fascinating satellite imagery frequently leads to over-expectation as to what satellite observations are feasible. However, if satellites can do so much, why should mapping groundwater flow from satellites present a problem? …