Pollution from Accidents and Disasters/
Environmental Analysis through Remote Sensing
It is impossible to completely prevent accidents and to avoid natural disasters. However in the event that pollution occurs from such incidents, proper responses are critically important. Remote sensing based on satellite technology now makes it possible to monitor environmental changes over vast areas.
After major accidents or natural disasters in the past, NIES has responded by dispatching experts to the sites, conducting environmental analyses, and helping to minimize the environmental impacts. Examples include coastal oil pollution from the Nahodka tanker spill, the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake, an accident at the Tokaimura uranium fuel processing facility, volcanic activity on Mount Usu, high groundwater concentrations of trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene contamination near certain factories, CNP agrochemical pollution, and the sarin gas poisoning incident in a Tokyo subway.
 Pollution from the break-up of the Nahodka oil tanker (January 1997) |
 Mud and sand ejected from the ground due to liquefaction during the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake (17 January 1995) |
In addition, NIES has dispatched researchers overseas to represent Japan's contribution in site inspections and other work connected with environmental pollution arising from disasters. Examples include atmospheric and marine pollution from forest fires in Indonesia and during the Gulf War. NIES is also conducting basic research on a set of risk management and response systems to address the environmental impacts of unforeseen accidents and human error. Examples include pollution monitoring, impact assessments, preventing the spread of pollution, and pollution removal methodologies.
Site of forest fires in East Kalimantan, Indonesia (March 1998)
Starting on 28 August 2000, concentrations of sulfur dioxide exceeding
Japan's environmental quality standard were observed in the Kanto region
surrounding Tokyo, thought to originate from volcanic gases from Miyake
Island. Using data (28 to 30 August) from the Environment Ministry's air
pollution monitoring system, NIES used its Internet website to display
animated images of the changes in sulfur dioxide concentrations over time.
Other images compared satellite data that NIES receives from NOAA (the
U.S. national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) with maps of observed
sulfur dioxide concentrations. Through efforts such as these, NIES provides
information to the public in an easy-to-understand format.
Sulfur dioxide measurements (28 August 2000, 5 pm)
Using various kinds of satellite sensor data, NIES is analyzing the
status and changes in global environment, e.g., land use and land cover,
vegetation distribution, and surface temperatures. This research will
help address global environmental problems such as global warming desertification
and deforestation. As a part of this research, NIES installed two ground
stations in 1995 to receive AVHRR data from NOAA satellites, one at NIES
Tsukuba and another on Kuroshima Island in Okinawa. With these two stations
environmental conditions in East Asia can be monitored daily.
Environmental changes in land cover and land use, vegetation distribution, net primary productivity, ecosystem carbon balance can be estimated by combining these satellite data with process models. This information will help to improve our understanding of the role of terrestrial ecosystems in the global environment.
Vegetation index distribution map of east Asia in July 1997, created from
NOAA satellite data
