Parameterizing hydrological, erosion and solute transport models by application of remote sensing in the ARSGISIP project

The overall objective of the ARSGISIP project is to promote the application of remote sensing techniques and GIS integration for the parameterization of physically based dynamic models. Activities of the first project year towards the common environmental problems of water pollution, floods and land degradation are presented within representative European catchments located in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The contribution of optical and radar remote sensing techniques for model parameterization is discussed. The scientific approach concentrates on deriving physical parameters describing soil and vegetation cover by means of land use classifications using Landsat TM/MSS, IRS-1C LISS/PAN, SPOT HRV/MIR, ERS-1/2 SAR/WiFS, and JERS-1 SAR.