Imaging Spectrometry of Inland Water Quality in Italy Using MIVIS: An Overview

Airborne imaging spectrometry is a powerful tool to investigate key biophysical parameters in inland waters. High spectral resolution data forms a contiguous spectrum that enables the detection and identification of a variety of key water quality indicators (e.g. cyanobacteria pigments). High spatial resolution imagery is suitable for fine-scale observation (e.g. the patchy spatial distribution of phytoplankton in productive waters). Airborne observations ensure flexible flight paths that allow observations of unexpected events to be acquired promptly. In this chapter, we present an overview of remote sensing techniques, by focusing on imaging spectrometry, for assessing water quality parameters in inland waters such as lakes, streams, rivers, reservoirs and ponds (defined ‘Case-2 waters’ according to a traditional remote sensing terminology). Then, we present examples of applications by using airborne Multispectral Infrared and Visible Imaging Spectrometer (MIVIS) images of Italian inland waters acquired at a spatial resolution varying from 3 to 5 m. Those examples include the retrieval of water quality parameters (i.e. chlorophyll-a, suspended particulate matter and coloured dissolved organic matter), the detection and monitoring of submerged vegetation, the observation of a cyanobacteria bloom in productive lakes and the investigation of the signal reflected by floating materials of terrestrial origin (i.e. pollens and oil).