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Natural and physical hazards accelerate the deterioration of asphalted surfaces. Climatic factors are unavoidable and can affect the properties of asphalt mixtures, making them weaker and less durable. Thus, continuous monitoring of bituminous surfaces is something that can reduce the risks of public health. Remote sensing techniques have become an effective, noninvasive method for early detection of damaged asphalt pavements. This paper outlines a range of different remote sensing methodologies that can be used to monitor asphalt road pavements. This is complemented by the use of field spectroscopy for the examination of asphalt pavements of varying age and conditions. The results of the study found spectral differences regarding asphalt defects, such as physical cracking, patched cracking and polishing. These spectral changes were examined through “in-band” simulation analysis of the Landsat 7 ETM+ sensor, using appropriate relative spectral response filters, concluding that the ratio band 5/band 1 can be used to distinguish asphalt pavements of different date of construction and condition.

Remote sensing has been successfully used for the exposure of shallow buried relics such as archaeological remains. The detection is mainly based on photointerpretation of high-resolution satellite or aerial images. Photointerpretation for archaeological purposes is focused on the identification of crop marks using visible and near infrared (VNIR) spectrum (e.g. vegetation indices) response, which is sensitive to vegetation stress. Detection of such marks is always performed through images of adequate spatial resolution, and therefore this procedure might be problematic in cases when there is a lack of accessibility to such kinds of data. This paper addresses this problem and illustrates an image-based method intended for the detection of crop marks using satellite data of inadequate spatial resolution. The overall methodology consists of seven separate steps. The method needs two areas of interest to be selected in the image, preferably in close proximity to one another. The first area is characterized as the ‘archaeological area under investigation’while the second is a vegetated non-archaeological area. These two areas are simultaneously examined in detail using spectral signatures, soil lines, and their phenological cycle characteristics. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied in three different areas in Cyprus and Greece, where the authors have already used the technique for validation purposes.

On site observation is the most common way of monitoring cultural heritage sites and monuments in Cyprus. However, this procedure that includes data collection, periodical observations, and multivariate risk assessment analysis is difficult to accomplish with the traditional practices and methods since it is time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, many archaeological sites and monuments are located at inaccessible areas, far away from the main road network and urban areas. Satellite remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) can successfully confront this problem by providing the scientists with integrated monitoring of the study areas and the unique advantage to store and manipulate a large amount of spatial and attribute data simultaneously. Actually the monitoring and identification of several natural and anthropogenic hazards in the vicinity of the cultural heritage sites in Cyprus, seems to be one of the main priorities of its governmental and municipal authorities. This study aims to integrate both satellite remote sensing techniques and GIS in a multidisciplinary approach, for monitoring anthropogenic and natural hazards with the use of archived and up-to-date multitemporal remotely sensed images in the study area, namely in areas nearby cultural heritage sites and monuments in Cyprus. In this study anthropogenic hazards include urbanisation and extended land use changes in the surroundings of archaeological sites and natural hazards concern seismicity and sea erosion