Use of Remote Sensing Data for Landslide Change Detection: Montescaglioso Large Landslide (Basilicata, Southern Italy)

Remote sensing techniques have been widely used since the 1990s in landslide research, deploying for this purpose different spatial and spectral resolution imagery. This research includes photo-interpretation and inventory of large landslides, determinant factors analysis, stereo-plotting of movements, and automatic detection by textural analysis. The potential or intrinsic factors of landslides include geological and morphological factors, while the external or triggering factors include earthquakes, climate, and hydrological and human activities (deforestation, the expansion of urban areas, and the increase of agricultural activity). In this paper, the variations of land use are analyzed using a historical series of aerial-photographic and satellite data (1988 – 2006). Land use affects the stability of landslides. In this paper the proposed model has been applied in the Montescagliso municipality (Basilicata, Southern Italy). can often damage, sometimes irreversibly, the very existence of these same natural resources (water, ground, etc.). The monitoring of the geo-resources by traditional and survey techniques takes a long time and has elevated costs. To overcome these drawbacks it is possible to use tools and techDOI: 10.4018/jaeis.2012010102 International Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Information Systems, 3(1), 14-25, January-June 2012 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. niques from a range of technologies, analysis and elaboration of the territorial data available. Remote sensing is one of the most esteemed of these tools and techniques because it offers the acquisition of a great deal of territorial data as well as the possibility of monitoring and analyzing wide surfaces with various degrees of both spatial and temporal resolution. The application of the software GIS (Geographical Informative Systems) is also very important as it can show the investigated areas three-dimensionally creating digital models and providing quantitative and spatial analysis of the data. Landslide phenomena are one of the highest risk factors for people, environment and economic activities, archeological heritage, particularly in Italy, whose territory is naturally disposed to this kind of natural event due to its particular geological and geo-morphological patterns. Different combinations of geological, morphological and climatic factors produce a wide variety of landslide phenomena in terms of typology, kinematic mechanisms, evolutionary characteristics and dimensions. Geological, geo-morphological, climatic and seismological factors make Basilicata (Southern Italy) region highly to extensive and severe slope movements. Landslides are typical features of its landscape and affect about 90% of its towns. Over the last decades, large and recurrent landslides have affected urbanized areas causing severe and extensive damages to structures and infrastructures. Sometimes such landslides have happened even after not excessively heavy rainfall (Polemio & Sdao, 1996a, 1996b, 1998; D’Ecclessis et al., 1991; Sdao & Simeone, 2007; Caniani et al., 2008). The aim of the present work is to assess the performances of automatic texture analysis using LandSat image and aerial photos with the purpose of identifying and analyzing the spatial and temporal modifications of the landslide of “Madonna La Nova” in Montescaglioso municipality. The methodological approach utilized in the analysis of the landslide includes methods of applied geomorphology and evolutionary traditional techniques for recognition in a synergistic way. Landslides directly affect the soil surface, which means that remote sensing techniques are well suited to their study (Soeters & Van West, 1996). Traditional techniques of remote sensing to map landslides usually involve interpreting stereoscopic aerial photographs, which have the most appropriate spatial resolution for investigations of landslides and their characteristics. In the context of remote sensing images, approaches to mapping landslides are commonly based on a combination of spectral and textural improvements (Eyers et al., 1995). STUDY AREA: GEOLOGICAL, GEO-MORPHOLOGICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASPECTS WATERSHED UNDER STUDY The examined area lies in the town territory of Montescaglioso (Figure 1), more precisely in orographic left of the Bradano River. The municipal area of Montescagliso was selected as suitable for the evaluation of the spatial and temporal variations of “Madonna La Nova” landslide. The interest in this territory arose because it is highly representative of the geomorphological and geological settings of landslide processes. The study area of Montescagliso covers 4.5 km2 approximately. Geological Characteristics The relief which covers Montescaglioso municipality is part of the series of hills that are on the left bank of the Bradano River in southern Lucania. Middle Pleistocene formations are represented by “Sands of Monte Marano”, “Calcarenites of Monte Castiglione” and Upper Pleistocene outcrop with terraced marine deposits of Crotoniano. The “Sands of Monte Marano”, poorly cemented with medium and fine grain, are located on the upper sides of the Montescaglioso relief while the Calcarenites of Monte Castiglione, consisting of calcarenites debris and coarse biocalcirudites, emerge 10 more pages are available in the full version of this document, which may be purchased using the "Add to Cart" button on the product's webpage: www.igi-global.com/article/use-remote-sensing-datalandslide/62063?camid=4v1 This title is available in InfoSci-Journals, InfoSci-Journal Disciplines Engineering, Natural, and Physical Science. Recommend this product to your librarian: www.igi-global.com/e-resources/libraryrecommendation/?id=2