Marine Plastic Detection Using Optical Data

A fast and precise detection of floating plastics debris is necessary for monitoring and saving the sea ecosystem. Recent studies have demonstrated how remote sensing (and in particular satellites) can be helpful in such detection. In particular, data provided by satellite sensors allow to continuously monitoring wide areas of our planet interested by plastic litters. In this work, the possibility of exploiting different optical remote sensing satellite methods is investigated: the analysis is conducted starting from multi-spectral data and moving tom hyperspectral one. Data acquired from Sentinel 2 and from PRISMA sensors are considered showing the added value of these systems in the detection of marine litter within marine areas.