Environmental Monitoring

Kuwait City, Kuwait (below)

These images show Kuwait City and the Magwa oil fields to the south. During the war of January-February 1991, 700 oil wells were damaged, of which more than 600 were set on fire. The release and burning of this oil had a severe impact on the oceans and atmosphere. Over 300 oil lakes also formed and are visible in the images as black pools. Satellite imagery helped reduce the costs of mapping these pools and quantify the level of damage prior to clean-up operations. The sand and gravel on the land's surface combined with oil and soot to form a layer of hardened "tarcrete" over almost 5% of the country's area. However, the sand of much of Kuwait is normally held in place by a thin layer of pebbles known as "desert pavement" and troop movements disturbed this surface and sparse vegetation, leaving some 17% of the country prone to increased sand movement.

Betsiboka river mouth, north-west Madagascar (right)

Petroleum or mineral exploration companies are often required to have a pollution contingency plan in place before prospecting begins. Satellite imagery such as this image of Madagascar can be used to efficiently map ecosystems, such as the coastal mangrove shown here as bright red, which would require priority protection from a pollutant. By using digital comparison techniques, satellite imagery also helps to perform an Environmental 'audit', showing any changes resulting from commercial activity.

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