Abstract

The aim of this project is to develop and apply an operational monitoring system focused on estuarine environments.

Around the world, increasing population and human activities along coastlines are having a direct impact on coastal water pollution and modification of natural environments; it is therefore crucial to develop operational monitoring systems. Such systems should combine relevant observations (adapted in terms of spatial and temporal scales) and validated models to quantify the impact of human activities and carry out predictions / forecasts. The transport of suspended sediments has a direct influence on coastline changes (creation of mudbanks), hydrodynamic conditions (e.g. filling of navigation channels and resulting dredging activities) and biogeochemistry of the environment (e.g. creation of maximum turbidity zones / fluid mud layer systems).

Remote sensing has the potential to deliver quantitative information in these highly dynamic coastal waters where terrigeneous substances are transported from the continent to the ocean.