Search

This MSc thesis was accomplished in the frame of the Program of Civil Engineering and Geoinformatics Engineers of the Cyprus University of Technology with the title "GEOINFORMATICS AND GEOSPATHIC TECHNOLOGY". The aim of this work is the intensification, recording, localization and mapping of the various lithologies of the Troodos Geopark by the use of satellite Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The dissertation is an attempt to locate and record the ophiolite sequence of the Troodos Geopark. This work includes detailed fieldwork, bibliographic review of the Geology of Troodos, as well as processing operations were performed on the hyperspectral remote sensing images of the study region. The data was exported through Earth Explorer USGS while the processing was done through the software program ArcMap10.8.1. The combined elaboration of these methodologies led to the mapping of the exact positions of the lithology of the Troodos geopark. During the elaboration of the dissertation, several difficulties were presented due to the small number of images of the study area by the EO1-HYPERION satellite. Η παρoύσα μεταπτυχιακή διατριβή εκπoνήθηκε στα πλαίσια τoυ Μεταπτυχιακoύ Πρoγράμματoς Σπoυδών τoυ Πoλιτικών Μηχανικών και Μηχανικών Γεωπληρoφoρικής τoυ Τεχνoλoγικoύ Πανεπιστημίoυ Κύπρoυ με τίτλo «ΓΕΩΠΛΗΡOΦOΡΙΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΓΕΩΧΩΡΙΚΕΣ ΤΕΧΝOΛOΓΙΕ». Στόχoς της εργασίας είναι η ανάπτυξη μεθoδoλoγιών για την καταγραφή, εντoπισμό και χαρτoγράφηση των διαφόρων λιθoλoγιών τoυ Γεωπάρκoυ Τρoόδoυς με τη βoήθεια της δoρυφoρική Τηλεπισκόπησης και των Γεωγραφικών Συστημάτων Πληρoφoριών (ΓΣΠ). Η διατριβή απoτελεί μια πρoσπάθεια εντoπισμoύ και καταγραφής της oφιoλιθικής ακoλoυθίας τoυ Γεωπάρκoυ Τρoόδoυς. Για τo λόγo αυτό πραγματoπoιήθηκε βιβλιoγραφική ανασκόπηση της Γεωλoγίας τoυ Τρoόδoυς, ανάλυση υπερφασματικών εικόνων τoυ δoρυφόρoυ EO1-HYPERION και Sentinel -2 για την τoπoγραφική απoτύπωση της λιθoλoγίας της περιoχής μελέτης, ενώ πραγματoπoιήθηκαν πληθώρα επιτόπιων παρατηρήσεων για σύζευξη των απoτελεσμάτων. Η εξαγωγή των δεδoμένων έγινε μέσω τoυ Earth Explorer USGS ενώ η επεξεργασία μέσω τoυ λoγισμικoύ πρoγράμματoς ArcMap10.8.1. Στη συνέχεια ασχoληθήαμε με την μηχανή Google earth engine. Η συνδυαστική επεξεργασία των μεθoδoλoγιών αυτών oδήγησε σχεδόν στην χαρτoγράφηση των ακριβών θέσεων της λιθoλoγίας τoυ γεωπάρκoυ. Κατά την εκπόνηση της διατριβής παρoυσιάστηκαν αρκετές δυσκoλίες λόγω τoυ μικρoύ αριθμoύ απoτυπώσεων της περιoχής μελέτης από τoν δoρυφόρo EO1- HYPERION. Completed

Cultural heritage at national and global scale, is the frame that ensures the historical reminiscence of each culture. The importance of digital documentation and protection of monuments is an issue of paramount importance while the need and interest for the past and its realistic imprint are constantly growing, thus creating the obligation for systematic research and scientific verification of this reality. Conventionally, the reconstruction of geometric objects in three dimensions, requires the synergy of different equipment and systems, which requires specialized personnel and at the same time raises the cost of the procedure. In the context of low-cost photogrammetry, the main objective of the study was to investigate the usability of smartphone cameras and the possibilities of the Structure from Motion approach, in applications for the production of 3D photo-realistic products. For this purpose, the geometric accuracy of the Huawei P30 pro mobile phone and the camera of Leica ToF (Time of Flight) was also examined, which was also used for the dimensioning of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Cross of Doliana in Trikala. The process was proven to be computationally time consuming due to the heavy computational load, as various open-source softwares (VSFM and MeshLab) were used to process large datasets. The results obtained from the accuracy evaluation of the three-dimensional models compared to the reference data obtained using a laser rangefinder in the field, are particularly encouraging, as the root mean square error in the case of the three-dimensional model of the monument is 11.6 mm / m, while for the ToF camera of the Huawei P30 Pro is 26.5 mm / m. In conclusion, the metric data coming from smartphones are proven to be reliable and therefore can be used for the low-precision 3D reconstruction of information, offering improved mobility and interactivity and opening new horizons for further extensive research in this field. Η πολιτιστική κληρονομιά σε εθνικό και παγκόσμιο επίπεδο, αποτελεί τον φορέα διασφάλισης της ιστορικής μνήμης κάθε πολιτισμού. Η σημαντικότητα της ψηφιακής καταγραφής και προστασίας των μνημείων, αποτελεί ζήτημα υψίστης σημασίας ενώ η ανάγκη και το ενδιαφέρον για το παρελθόν και την ρεαλιστική του αποτύπωση μεγαλώνουν συνεχώς, δημιουργώντας στην υποχρέωση για συστηματική έρευνα και επιστημονική εξακρίβωση της πραγματικότητας αυτής. Συμβατικά, η ανακατασκευή γεωμετριών αντικειμένων σε τρεις διαστάσεις, απαιτεί τη συνέργεια διαφορετικών εξοπλισμών και συστημάτων, που απαιτεί εξειδικευμένο προσωπικό και εκτοξεύει ταυτοχρόνως το κόστος της διαδικασίας στα ύψη. Στα πλαίσια της φωτογραμμετρίας χαμηλού κόστους ως κύριος στόχος της μελέτης καθορίστηκε η διερεύνηση της χρηστικότητας των καμερών smartphone και των δυνατοτήτων της προσέγγισης Structure from Motion, σε εφαρμογές παραγωγής τρισδιάστατων φωτό-ρεαλιστικών προιόντων. Για το σκοπό αυτό, εξετάστηκε η γεωμετρική ακρίβεια του κινητού Huawei P30 pro και της κάμερας του Leica ToF (Time of Flight) που χρησιμοποιήθηκε επίσης για τη διαστασιολόγηση της Ιεράς Μονής Τιμίου Σταυρού Δολιανών στα Τρίκαλα. Η διαδικασία αποδείχθηκε υπολογιστικά χρονοβόρα λόγω του μεγάλου υπολογιστικού φόρτου, καθώς έγινε χρήση διάφορων ανοικτού κώδικα λογισμικών (VSFM και MeshLab). Τα αποτελέσματα που προέκυψαν από την αξιολόγηση ακρίβειας των τρισδιάστατων μοντέλων συγκριτικά με τα δεδομένα αναφοράς που λήφθηκαν με τη χρήση αποστασιόμετρου λέιζερ στο πεδίο, είναι ιδιαίτερα ενθαρρυντικά, καθώς το μέσο τετραγωνικό σφάλμα στη περίπτωση του τρισδιάστατου μοντέλου του κτίσματος ανέρχεται σε 11.6 mm / m, ενώ για τη κάμερα ToF του κινητού Huawei P30 Pro ανέρχεται σε 26.5 mm / m. Συμπερασματικά, τα μετρικά δεδομένα που προέρχονται τα smartphone είναι αξιόπιστα σε περιπτώσεις άμεσης τεκμηρίωσης, και μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν για την τρισδιάστατη ανακατασκευή πληροφορίας χαμηλής ακρίβειας, προσφέροντας βελτιωμένη κινητικότητα και διαδραστικότητα, ανοίγοντας νέους ορίζοντες για πιο εκτενή έρευνα σε αυτό το πεδίο. Completed

The unprecedented rate of changes in the landscape, occurring at different scales and periods, is one of the significant concerns worldwide. The environmental and socio-economic impacts of these changes make the analysis of spatio-temporal variations in land use, an indispensable tool for policy makers. The objectives of the study are set out in the context of the aforementioned, such as identifying changes in land use between 1991 and 2019, identifying the factors associated with these changes and how strongly they relate, and finally, simulating expected changes in the future (year 2029). For this purpose, the hybrid simulation method Cellular Automata - Artificial Neural Networks was used, using as input data the land use maps, transition probability maps and factors that according to the literature influence these changes. Results show that proximity to the road network, population density and altitude, are the main factors driving the dynamic system of land uses and their changes. The analysis showed significant changes in the landscape distribution in the province of Larnaca over the last 30 years, and it was also estimated that this trend also continues ten years later. As expected, there was a significant increase in urban areas and infrastructures by 22.19% - 52.83 sq. Km., with an average growth rate of 2.21% per annum. This growth is based on the transition table in the construction of 98.75 sq. Km of soils (agricultural and bare land) and in only 4.61 sq. Km of vegetation. Growth is also observed in areas covered by vegetation, at 7.59% - 13.22 sq. Km, with an average growth rate of 0.76% per year. An area of 52.81 sq. Km. comes from the category Deforested areas, which may be due to the seasonal growth of plants from agricultural activities. The same reason is attributed to most of the losses in this category, which are presented as conversion to soils (26.46% - 46.04 sq. Km). Ο πρωτοφανής ρυθμός μεταβολής του τοπίου που εμφανίζεται σε διαφορετικές κλίμακες και χρονικές περιόδους, αποτελεί μία από τις μεγαλύτερες ανησυχίες παγκοσμίως. Οι περιβαλλοντικές και κοινωνικό-οικονομικές επιδράσεις που επιφέρουν αυτές οι αλλαγές, καθιστούν την ανάλυση των χωροχρονικών μεταβολών των χρήσεων γης, απαραίτητο εργαλείο για τους φορείς χάραξης πολιτικών. Οι στόχοι της παρούσας μελέτης καθορίζονται στα πλαίσια των προαναφαρθέντων, ως ο εντοπισμός των μεταβολών που έγιναν στις χρήσεις γης μεταξύ των ετών 1991-2019, η καταγραφή των παραγόντων που συνδέονται με τις μεταβολές αυτές και η πιθανή συνάφεια τους και τέλος, η προσομοίωση των αλλαγών που αναμένονται στο μέλλον (έτος 2029). Για το σκοπό αυτό, εφαρμόστηκε η υβριδική μέθοδος προσομοίωσης Cellular Automata – Artificial Neural Networks, χρησιμοποιώντας ως δεδομένα εισόδου χάρτες χρήσης γης, χάρτες πιθανοτήτων μετάβασης και τους παράγοντες που σύμφωνα με την διεθνή βιβλιογραφία επηρεάζουν τις μεταβολές αυτές. Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν ότι η εγγύτητα στο οδικό δίκτυο, η πυκνότητα του πληθυσμού και το υψόμετρο της περιοχής, είναι οι κυριότεροι παράγοντες που καθοδηγούν το δυναμικό σύστημα των χρήσεων γης και των μεταβολών τους. Μέσα από την ανάλυση παρουσιάστηκαν οι σημαντικές αλλαγές που σημειώθηκαν στην κατανομή του τοπίου στην επαρχία της Λάρνακας τα τελευταία 30 χρόνια και εκτιμήθηκε επίσης πως θα συνεχιστούν και δέκα χρόνια αργότερα. Όπως αναμενόταν, παρατηρείται σημαντική αύξηση των αστικών περιοχών και των υποδομών κατά 22.19 % - 52.83 τ.χλμ. με μέσο ρυθμό αύξησης 2.21 % ετησίως. Η ανάπτυξη αυτή βασίζεται σύμφωνα με τον πίνακα μετάβασης στην δόμηση 98.75 τ.χλμ εκτάσεων γεωργικής και άγονης γης και σε μόλις 4.61 τ.χλμ περιοχών φυτικής κάλυψης. Αύξηση παρατηρείται επίσης και στις εκτάσεις που καλύπτονται από βλάστηση, κατά 7.59 % - 13.22 τ.χλμ., με μέσο ρυθμό αύξησης 0.76 % ετησίως. Έκταση της τάξης των 52.81 τ.χλμ. προέρχεται από την κατηγορία Deforested areas, κάτι που ίσως να οφείλεται στις εποχικές αναπτύξεις των φυτών από τις γεωργικές δραστηριότητες. Στον ίδιο λόγο αποδίδεται και το μεγαλύτερο μέρος των απωλειών της εν λόγο κατηγορίας, που παρουσιάζεται ως μετατροπή τους σε εδάφη (26.46 % - 46.04 τ.χλμ). Completed

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.

Οι δασικές πυρκαγιές αποτελούν την σημαντικότερη απειλή των δασικών οικοσυστημάτων και είναι το σημαντικότερο ίσως πρόβλημα που πρέπει να προβληματίσει γενικότερα τον ίδιο τον άνθρωπο. Οι κλιματικές αλλαγές άρχισαν είδη να γίνονται αντιληπτές και το θέμα των δασικών πυρκαγιών προϋποθέτει στοχευμένη στρατηγική για καλύτερη διαχείριση του θέματος αφού οι επιπτώσεις είναι άμεσες αλλά και μακροχρόνιες . Σημαντικό εργαλείο σε αυτές τις πολιτικές μπορούν να διαδραματίσουν οι προηγμένες εφαρμογές τηλεπισκόπησης καθώς μπορούν να προσφέρουν αξιόπιστες πληροφορίες όσο αφορά τα καθεστώτα πυρκαγιών. Η ανάλυση ακριβείας στο χώρο σε συνδυασμό με τις χρονικές αλλαγές της πληγείσας περιοχής, χρησιμοποιώντας δορυφορικές εικόνες, είναι καίριας σημασίας. Οι διάφοροι μετασχηματισμοί των εικόνων με απώτερο σκοπό την αναδημιουργία νέων εικόνων και η άντληση των νέων δεδομένων μπορούν να δώσουν κατανοητές και χρήσιμες πληροφορίες. Στην παρούσα εργασία, χρησιμοποιήθηκαν δορυφορικά δεδομένα κυρίως από τον LANDSAT 8 OLI. Τα διάφορα στάδια επεξεργασίας των δορυφορικών εικόνων περιγράφονται αναλυτικά και επιπρόσθετα για την αποπεράτωση του τελικού αποτελέσματος, που είναι η εφαρμογή διάφορων δεικτών παρουσιάζονται οι διάφορες τεχνικές όπου και είναι απαραίτητες για το τελικό αποτέλεσμα. Η συλλογή και η επεξεργασία των δεδομένων βασίστηκε στο λογισμικό ENVI 5.1. (Environment for Visualizing Images). Με την χρήση του συγκεκριμένου προγράμματος θα γίνει αξιολόγηση των πληγεισών περιοχών με την χρήση διάφορων δεικτών βλάστησης. Προτείνεται επίσης συγκεκριμένη μυθολογική προσέγγιση αφού κύριος στόχος αυτής της εργασίας είναι η άντληση δορυφορικών δεδομένων των πληγεισών περιοχών πριν και μετά την πυρκαγιά ούτος ώστε να γίνει ορθότερη και καλύτερη εκτίμηση της περιοχής. Οι περιορισμοί ωστόσο υπάρχουν αφού εκτενείς μετρήσεις στο πεδίο δεν διεξάχθηκαν με αποτέλεσμα οι έρευνες να περιοριστούν εξολοκλήρου με δορυφορικές εικόνες. Completed

Remote sensing has open up new dimensions in archaeological research. Although there has been significant progress in increasing the resolution of space/aerial sensors and image processing, the detection of the crop (and soil marks) formations, which relate to buried archaeological remains, are difficult to detect since these marks may not be visible in the images if observed over different period or at different spatial/spectral resolution. In order to support the improvement of earth observation remote sensing technologies specifically targeting archaeological research, a better understanding of the crop/soil marks formation needs to be studied in detail. In this paper the contribution of both Unmanned Aerial Systems as well ground spectroradiometers is discussed in a variety of examples applied in the eastern Mediterranean region (Cyprus and Greece) as well in Central Europe (Hungary). In- situ spectroradiometric campaigns can be applied for the removal of atmospheric impact to simultaneous satellite overpass images. In addition, as shown in this paper, the systematic collection of ground truth data prior to the satellite/aerial acquisition can be used to detect the optimum temporal and spectral resolution for the detection of stress vegetation related to buried archaeological remains. Moreover, phenological studies of the crops from the area of interest can be simulated to the potential sensors based on their Relative Response Filters and therefore prepare better the satellite-aerial campaigns. Ground data and the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) can provide an increased insight for studying the formation of crop and soil marks. New algorithms such as vegetation indices and linear orthogonal equations for the enhancement of crop marks can be developed based on the specific spectral characteristics of the area. As well, UAS can be used for remote sensing applications in order to document, survey and model cultural heritage and archaeological sites.

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

This paper evaluates the efficiency of different image analysis techniques applied to high resolution multispectral satellite data so as to identify olive oil waste disposal areas in the island of Crete where huge quantities of wastes are produced. For this purpose very high spatial resolution images including Pleiades, SPOT 6, QuickBird, WorldView-2 and GeoEye 1 have been exploited. The research included the application of the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, Olive Oil Mill Waste Index as well as Principal Component Analysis. Moreover Intensity–Hue–Saturation transformation was carried out. Furthermore, unsupervised classification was performed for a variety of classes (5; 10 and 15) over the same area for two different periods. In addition, supervised linear constrained spectral un-mixing technique has been applied for the WorldView-2 image, to evaluate the potential use of sub-pixel analysis. Indeed, as it is demonstrated NDVI and OOMW indices may be used to enhance the exposure of disposal areas in high resolution satellite datasets, while the application of the PCA and HIS transformations seems to be able to further improve the results. Unsupervised classification techniques, with no ground truth data, can sufficiently work; however temporal changes of the disposal areas can affect the performance of the classifier. The use of spectral library was able to detect OOMW areas with a relatively high rate of success improving the results from the unsupervised classification. Finally, a COSMO-SkyMed radar image has been examined and fused with a hyperspectral EO-ALI image, indicating that such kind of datasets might be also explored for this purpose.

An analytic approach of the numerous but poorly documented Hellenistic and Roman necropoleis of Cyprus, excavated or simply spotted through the years, is presented in this paper. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) were used so as to better understand the lost landscape of the Hellenistic and Roman necropoleis. GIS were applied to visualize, rationalize, and analyze the vast quantity of material, starting from the simple site location of the known Hellenistic and Roman cemeteries, proceeding with an analytic approach of the available scarce information, to reveal eventually specific spatial patterns. Initially, indexing, registration, topographic documentation, and mapping linked with all the necessary information of the known necropoleis were accomplished. In addition, spatial analysis considering environmental and other parameters in GIS was carried out in a macroscale perspective. The above analysis resulted notable aspects related to the lost funerary landscape of ancient Cyprus.

To date, archived aerial photographs or recently declassified satellite CORONA images have been used to support archaeological research. However the use of such images is limited to the interpretation of greyscale images, which can be improved by image analysis processes including filters, edge detection techniques, etc. This article presents a methodology to improve the interpretation of these images by adding colour from recently acquired satellites or airborne sensors. The methodology followed in this article, is based on the use of pan-sharpening algorithms which are applied to a set of an archived greyscale image and a recently colour image taken over the same area. These two images are geometrically corrected while their histograms are matched. Then, the two images are merged based on different pan-sharpening techniques such as Brovey transformation, high pass filters, multiplicative transformation, principal component analysis and wavelet decomposition. The final result is a colour image which can be further studied for interpretation purposes. A coherence image is also calculated since differences due to time might be also observed in the images (e.g. land use changes). The results presented here from different cases studies of Cyprus indicate that the proposed methodology may be applied in any other greyscale archive dataset. From the results is was shown that Brovey and high pass filter transform seem to be able to support better the interpretation of such archive information.

Examining natural hazards responsible for cultural heritage damages all over Europe, especially over large or remote areas is extremely difficult, expensive and time consuming. There is a need identify and respond to natural hazards before they create irreparable damage to cultural heritage sites. The PROTHEGO project uses radar interferometry to monitor surface deformation with mm precision to analyze the impact of geo-hazards in cultural heritage sites in Europe. The project applies novel InSAR techniques to monitor monuments and sites that are potentially unstable due to landslides, sinkholes, settlement, subsidence, active tectonics as well as structural deformation, all of which could be affected of climate change and human interaction. To magnify the impact of the project, the approach will be implemented in more than 400 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List (WHL) in geographical Europe. After the remote sensing investigation, detailed geological interpretation, hazard analysis, local-scale monitoring, advanced modelling and field surveying for the most critical sites will be carried out to discover the cause and extent of the observed motions. PROTHEGO (PROTection of European Cultural HEritage from GeO-hazards) is a collaborative research project funded in the framework of the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPICH) – Heritage Plus in 2015–2018.

This paper aims to assess the risk of natural and anthropogenic hazards for cultural heritage in Cyprus by integrating multi-temporal GIS and earth observation analysis, in the area of Paphos District. The work presented here attends to re-evaluate previous results from earth observations and GIS analysis and go a step forward targeting more reliable outcomes for cultural heritage management. The scope of the paper was to develop a more accurate methodology for risk assessment against natural and anthropogenic hazards (e.g., soil erosion; urban expansion), based on homogeneous clustering of the monuments under consideration. The accomplished assessment approach, being lopsided and generic, cannot be applied across the board and undistractedly for cultural heritage management of all types of monuments of the district. Instead, the proposed clustering of monuments based on a variety of parameters is taking into consideration characteristics of their immediate environment, resulting rational local-based outcomes more useful for monuments and sites safeguarding and for prevention measurements. For each one of the five clusters of monuments located in the Paphos District, an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method was followed in order to address the individual and unique characteristics of the monuments and sites within the same cluster area. Subsequently, the weight factors from these clusters were interpolated to the whole district, prior to the application of the overall AHP risk assessment. Ultimately, the results were compared with the overall AHP method applied for the entire Paphos District, indicating that the proposed methodology can be more accurate and realistic for the different groups of the monuments.

There is a need to make cultural heritage sites accessible to all individuals, including those who are visually impaired. 3D printing technology provides the capability to print models of cultural heritage structure as teaching tools for the visually impaired. As well, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have undergone significant advances in equipment capabilities and now have the ability to obtain high resolution images in a cost effective and efficient manner in order to create 3D models for 3D printing. This paper explores the use of UAVs to acquire high resolution images to generate 3D models that are printed using lowcost 3D printers intended to serve as a teaching aid for the visually impaired. A case study is presented for the Curium archaeological site.

The landscape of Cyprus is characterized by transformations that occurred during the 20th century, with many of such changes being still active today. Landscapes’ changes are due to a variety of reasons including war conflicts, environmental conditions and modern development that have often caused the alteration or even the total loss of important information that could have assisted the archaeologists to comprehend the archaeo-landscape. The present work aims to provide detailed information regarding the different existing datasets that can be used to support archaeologists in understanding the transformations that the landscape in Cyprus undergone, from a remote sensing perspective. Such datasets may help archaeologists to visualize a lost landscape and try to retrieve valuable information, while they support researchers for future investigations. As such they can further highlight in a predictive manner and consequently assess the impacts of landscape transformation -being of natural or anthropogenic cause- to cultural heritage. Three main datasets are presented here: aerial images, satellite datasets including spy satellite datasets acquired during the Cold War, and cadastral maps. The variety of data is provided in a chronological order (e.g. year of acquisitions), while other important parameters such as the cost and the accuracy are also determined. Individual examples of archaeological sites in Cyprus are also provided for each dataset in order to underline both their importance and performance. Also some pre- and post-processing remote sensing methodologies are briefly described in order to enhance the final results. The paper within the framework of ATHENA project, dedicated to remote sensing archaeology/CH, aims to fill a significant gap in the recent literature of remote sensing archaeology of the island and to assist current and future archaeologists in their quest for remote sensing information to support their research.

The Cultural landscapes are witnesses of "the creative genius, social development and the imaginative and spiritual vitality of humanity. They are part of our collective identity", as it is internationally defined and accepted (ICOMOSUNESCO). The need for their protection, management and inclusion in the territorial policies has already been widely accepted and pursued. There is a great number of risks to which the cultural landscapes are exposed, arising mainly from natural (both due to slow geo-physical phenomena as well as hazards) and anthropogenic causes (e.g. urbanisation pressure, agriculture, landscape fragmentation etc.). This paper explores to what extent Earth Observation (EO) technologies can contribute to identify and evaluate the risks to which Cultural Landscapes of Cyprus are exposed, taking into consideration specific phenomena, such as land movements and soil erosion. The research of the paper is illustrated as part of the activities carried out in the CLIMA project - "Cultural Landscape risk Identification, Management and Assessment". It aims to combine the fields of remote sensing technologies, including Sentinel data, and monitoring of cultural landscape for its improved protection and management. Part of this approach will be based on the use of InSAR techniques in order to monitor the temporal evolution of deformations through the detection and measurement of the effects of surface movements caused by various factors. The case study selected for Cyprus is the Nea Paphos archeological site and historical center of Paphos, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The interdisciplinary approach adopted in this research was useful to identify major risks affecting the landscape of Cyprus and to classify the most suitable EO methods to assess and map such risks.

Underground structures can affect their surrounding landscapes in different ways such as soil moisture content, soil composition, vegetation vigour etc. The latest is often observed on the ground as a crop mark; a phenomenon which can be used as a proxy to denote the presence of underground and not visible structures. This paper presents the results obtained from field spectroradiometric campaigns at ‘buried’ underground structures in Cyprus. A SVC-1024 field spectroradiometer was used and in-band reflectances were determined for a variety of medium and high resolution satellite sensors as well as Landsat. A number of vegetation indices such as NDVI were obtained while a ‘smart index’ was developed aiming for the detection of military underground structures following the assessment of the existing vegetation indices or other available band combinations algorithm. Test areas were identified, analyzed and modeled. The areas have been analyzed and tested in different scenarios such as: (a) the ‘natural state’ of the underground structure (b) the different type of crop over the underground structure and imported soil (c) the different types of non-natural material over the underground structure. A reference target in the nearby area was selected. Controllable meteorological and environmental parameters were acquired and monitored. As well, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was also used to survey the area with visible and near-infrared cameras in order to generate NDVI values for comparison to the in-situ spectroradiometric measurements

Water pipelines need to be systematically monitored in order to minimize losses from possible leakages. In this paper, remote sensing techniques have been exploited in semiarid areas of Cyprus. In addition, ground spectroradiometer has been used to define the leakage's threshold values. The data were analysed in a GIS environment. Two known leakage problems have been examined. In the first case study, a high resolution QuickBird image was used for the detection of the exact point of leakage. In the second case study a multi-temporal analysis was performed using SPOT images. This methodology was able to record 10 possible leakage points along the pipeline. Throughout the 25 km length of the pipeline, the in-situ observations were minimized to only 0.4%. In both studies the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was applied. The final outcomes highlight the contribution of remote sensing to the early detection of leakages especially in difficult and near inaccessible areas.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology is already part of the construction industry and is considered by professionals as a very useful tool for all phases of a construction project. BIM technology, with the particularly useful 3D illustrations which it provides, can be used to illustrate and monitor the progress of works effectively through the entire lifetime of the project. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have undergone significant advances in equipment capabilities and now have the capacity to acquire high resolution imagery from different angles in a cost effective and efficient manner. By using photogrammetry, characteristics such as distances, areas, volumes, elevations, object sizes, and object shape can be determined within overlapping areas. This paper explores the combined use of BIM and UAV technologies in order to achieve efficient and accurate as-built data collection and 3D illustrations of the works progress during an infrastructure construction project.

This work focuses on the exploitation of very high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery coupled with multi-criteria analysis (MCA) to produce flood hazard maps. The methodology was tested over a portion of the Yialias river watershed basin (Nicosia, Cyprus). The MCA methodology was performed selecting five flood-conditioning factors: slope, distance to channels, drainage texture, geology and land cover. Among MCA methods, the analytic hierarchy process technique was chosen to derive the weight of each criterion in the computation of the flood hazard index (FHI). The required information layers were obtained by processing a VHR GeoEye-1 image and a digital elevation model. The satellite image was classified using an object-based technique to extract land use/cover data, while GIS geoprocessing of the DEM provided slope, stream network and drainage texture data. Using the FHI, the study area was finally classified into seven hazard categories ranging from very low to very high in order to generate an easily readable map. The hazard seems to be severe, in particular, in some urban areas, where extensive anthropogenic interventions can be observed. This work confirms the benefits of using remote sensing data coupled with MCA approach to provide fast and cost-effective information concerning the hazard assessment, especially when reliable data are not available.

This paper discusses the on-going research related to remote sensing archaeology in Europe, since the launch in 1999 of the first high resolution satellite sensor IKONOS. During these 16 years, significant technological improvements have been made both in space sensors as well in other non-contact remote sensing technologies, providing new tools for scientists to search the hidden past. The analysis presented here follows a citation based approach, where useful information is retrieved from the scientific literature. The paper visualises these trends by constructing science maps, based on bibliographic data of established research journals, found in Scopus, ScienceDirect and Web of Science (WoS) search engines. In addition, mapping and clustering analyses were carried out considering the Institutions that applied remote sensing technologies for archaeological purposes, thus providing a better insight and understanding of the current status of remote sensing archaeology in Europe. Time-stamped maps from 1999 until 2015 indicate on one hand that remote sensing technologies are widely accepted and applied by the archaeological community, but at the same time they make clear that substantial gaps still exist amongst European countries. Finally, the popularity of specific terms or the emergence of new terms in scientific literature through time is also presented, providing a synoptic view of the history and development of the remote sensing archaeology discipline. The discussion section analyses the gaps of the current study mainly due to “missing literature”. The paper underlines the need for the development of a common depository of all knowledge, acquired by the scientists operating in the field worldwide, to improve the “transfer of knowledge” and therefore harmonise the existing gap between the different scientific fields of remote sensing archaeology.

Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.This paper focuses on the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) over the study area of Pissouri in Cyprus to document the sloping landscapes of the area. The study area has been affected by overgrazing, which has led to shifts in the vegetation patterns and changing microtopography of the soil. The UAV images were used to generate digital elevation models (DEMs) to examine the changes in microtopography. Next to that orthophotos were used to detect changes in vegetation patterns. The combined data of the digital elevation models and the orthophotos will be used to detect the occurrence of catastrophic shifts and mechanisms for desertification in the study area due to overgrazing. This study is part of the CASCADE-Catastrophic shifts in dryland project.

A number of methods have been proposed for the atmospheric correction of the multispectral satellite images, based on either atmosphere modelling or images themselves. Full radiative transfer models require a lot of ancillary information about the atmospheric conditions at the acquisition time. Whereas, image based methods cannot account for all the involved phenomena. Therefore, the aim of this paper is the comparison of different atmospheric correction methods for multispectral satellite images. The experimentation was carried out on a study area located in the catchment area of Yialias river, 20 km South of Nicosia, the Cyprus capital. The following models were tested, both empirical and physically based: Dark object subtraction, QUAC, Empirical line, 6SV, and FLAASH. They were applied on a Landsat 8 multispectral image. The spectral signatures of ten different land cover types were measured during a field campaign in 2013 and 15 samples were collected for laboratory measurements in a second campaign in 2014. GER 1500 spectroradiometer was used; this instrument can record electromagnetic radiation from 350 up to 1050 nm, includes 512 different channels and each channel covers about 1.5 nm. The spectral signatures measured were used to simulate the reflectance values for the multispectral sensor bands by applying relative spectral response filters. These data were considered as ground truth to assess the accuracy of the different image correction models. Results do not allow to establish which method is the most accurate. The physics-based methods describe better the shape of the signatures, whereas the image-based models perform better regarding the overall albedo.

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), which is in concept similar to land-use planning, is a public process by which the relevant Member State’s authorities analyse and organise human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic and social objectives. MSP aims to promote sustainable growth of maritime economies, sustainable development of marine areas and sustainable use of marine resources. This paper highlights the importance of MSP and provides basic outcomes of the main European marine development. The already successful MSP plans can provide useful feedback and guidelines for other countries that are in the process of implementation of an integrated MSP, such as Cyprus. This paper presents part of the MSP project, of which 80% funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and 20% from national contribution. An overview of the project is presented, including data acquisition, methodology and preliminary results for the implementation of MSP in Cyprus.

Hellenistic and Roman ancient cemeteries are spread all over the territory of the island of Cyprus, consisting one of the major archaeological data sites. Ancient necropoleis due to their tombs “manufacturing” nature, being almost exclusively underground and hewn out of the natural rock, are preserved in a great majority respect to their equivalent domestic and other kinds of architectural remains which are primarily constructed above the ground. Having that in mind, it’s understood that their thorough excavation and study could add significantly to recent archaeological research. Unfortunately, being usually neglected and mainly due to lack of economic resources, no planned excavation of tombs is usually undertaken. On the contrary, most of the tombs are to be found accidentally during infrastructural works or other modern development activities, such as roads, sewage systems and others. This reality of course deprives the archaeologists of a scrupulous study since damages are to be done to the tombs in combination to the tight time schedules that usually pushing towards the fast completion of an archaeological project, not permitting the necessary time for fully understanding in context. In this direction, remote sensing techniques are nowadays an extremely useful tool in the hands of archaeologists, for overlapping the above described modern reality. In the present paper will be briefly addressed the use of remote sensing techniques for monitoring the funerary archaeolandscape of Hellenistic and Roman Cyprus in an effort of sustainable planning, leading to its better preservation.

This paper aims to introduce an index which is able to assist the recognition of Olive Oil Mill Wastes (OOMW) disposal areas using multispectral satellite images. For this purpose several ground spectroradiometric measurements in the range of 450 - 900 nm have been collected at a variety of targets. The samples were initially resampled to the GeoEye-1 sensor using the appropriate Relative Spectral Response Filter (RSR) and then scatter plots and spectral signatures were projected. Then an evaluation of nine widely used vegetation indices was performed. This analysis indicated that, Perpendicular Vegetation Index (PVI), Transformed Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (TSAVI) and Soil and Atmospherically Resistant Vegetation Index (SARVI) are the most efficient indices to enhance the detection of Olive Mill Waste disposal areas. Moreover, correlation as well as separability analysis have shown than blue and near infrared (NIR) spectral bands are the most suitable for interpretation purposes. The Olive Mill Waste index was applied also to GeoEye-1 in different cases studies in the island of Crete.

Time in infrastructure construction projects has always been a fundamental issue as early as from the inception of a project, during the construction process and often after the completion and delivery. In a typical construction contract time related matters such as the completion date and possible delays are among the most important issues that are dealt with by the contract provisions. In the event of delay there are usually provisions for extension of time award to the contractor with possible reimbursement for the extra cost and expenses caused by this extension of time to the contract duration. In the case the contractor is not entitled to extension of time, the owner will be possibly entitled to amounts as compensation for the time prohibited from using his development. Even in the event of completion within the time agreed, under certain circumstances a contractor may have claims for reimbursement for extra costs incurred due to induced acceleration measures he had to take in order to mitigate disruption effects caused to the progress of the works by the owner or his representatives. Depending on the size of the project and the agreement amount, these reimbursement sums may be extremely high. Therefore innovative methods with the exploitation of new technologies for effective project management for the avoidance of delays, delay analysis and mitigation measures are essential; moreover, methods for collecting efficiently information during the construction process so that disputes regarding time are avoided or resolved in a quick and fair manner are required. This paper explores the state of art for existing use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) technologies in the construction industry in general. Moreover the paper considers the prospect of using BIM technology in conjunction with the use of UAV technology for efficient and accurate as-built data collection and illustration of the works progress during an infrastructure construction project in order to achieve more effective project management, record keeping and delay analysis.

Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for use in remote sensing offer simple and affordable observation from the air. Due to the decreasing size of the sensors, receivers and antennas, it is now possible to create integrated low-Altitude airborne systems. Remote sensing technologies on a UAV platform are an efficient, non-invasive and low cost resource for the detection, documentation and monitoring of various environmental (both natural and cultural) features, in high resolution and quality. Different remote sensing techniques can be used alongside to the UAVs, such as field spectroscopy, multispectral cameras, infrared cameras and thermal cameras. This integration in terms of techniques and technologies, contributes further to more solid outcomes depending on the case study. The possibility of adding a variety of sensors to the basic UAV unit amplifies both the application cases and the results. Among the types of camera sensors that can be used with the UAVs are the visible spectrum cameras, the multi-spectral cameras and the hyperspectral cameras. These cameras can extract more detailed information since an entire spectrum is acquired from each pixel of the image. In this paper, various UAVs used for environmental and archaeological applications in different areas of Cyprus are presented.

The HydroGIS Lab project (http://cyprusremotesensing.com/hydrogis/) aims to satisfy the dire need for authorities to solve the extremely serious problem of water supply as a result of continued water shortage. The chronic problems of water losses in the water supply network pipes, the uncontrolled and non-optimum operation of pumping stations, the incorrect design of the networks because of various interventions such as town planning and erroneous mapping of existing networks, are some of the most important problems which need to be resolved in order to optimize the performance of the networks and, consequent‐ ly, save water and energy. The innovative aspect of the Project is that state-of-the-art technologies are combined for the mapping of water networks through the Global Position‐ ing System (GPS), Radar Scanners and Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS). The data is entered into a Geographic Information System (GIS), with the aim of developing a digital imprint and the mapping of the network. The study of an existing selected water supply network and the collection of the necessary information by the Cyprus University of Technology and the Water Development for the network and its systems will lead to an imaging of water pipes and their design using a radar scanner and special software and GIS. Satellite im‐ ages, which have been transformed into the local reference system using specialized software, will be coupled with the digital imaging of the existing maps. This information will then be organized in such a way allowing the development of maps and their analysis at different levels (e.g. water supply network, buildings, water supply elements, geographic informa‐ tion, features of the network’s systems, etc.).

The Project focuses on the resolution of decreased water supply as a result of continued water shortage. The water loss is the result of several causes, notably water losses in the water supply network pipes, the ineffective operation of pumping stations and design of the networks are some of the most important problems which need to be addressed to optimize the performance of the water networks and save both water and the energy consumed. The Project is innovative as it is the first time that several, state-of-the-art technologies, including Global Positioning System (GPS), Radar Scanners and Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) will be combined to map the water networks. The data produced will be entered into a Geographic Information System (GIS), with the objective of developing a digital imprint and mapping of the network. Following, a representative section of the network will be selected and modeled in the new upgraded laboratory in order to conduct detailed experimental studies, which will be correlated with computational/mathematical studies. The main scientific challenge of the Project, which also characterizes its broader innovative aspect, lies in the possibility to optimize the design and also the operation of all the components of the network, through the combined use of hydraulic simulation models and multi-criteria evolution algorithms. © 2014 SPIE.

Concrete reinforced with steel rebars remains one of the most widely used construction materials. Despite its excellent mechanical performance and expected service life of at least 50 years, reinforced concrete is subjected to corrosion of the steel rebars which normally leads to concrete spalling, deterioration of the reinforced concrete’s (RC) mechanical properties and eventual reduction of the structural load capacity. In Cyprus, especially in coastal regions where almost 60% of the population resides, many structural problems have been identified in RC structures, which are mainly caused by the severe corrosion of steel rebars. Most RC buildings, located in coastal areas, show signs of corrosion within the first 15-20 years of their service life and this affects their structural integrity and reliability, especially against seismic loading. This paper presents the research undertaken as part of the STEELCOR project which aims to extensively evaluate the steel corrosion of RC buildings in coastal areas of Cyprus and conduct a risk assessment relating to steel corrosion. Non-destructive testing of corroded RC structures measurements were used to estimate the simplified index of structural damage. These indices were imported into a Geographical Information System to develop a digital structural integrity map of Cyprus which would show the areas with high risk of steel corrosion of RC buildings. In addition, archive optical remote sensing dataset was used to map the urban expansion footprint during the last 30 years in Cyprus with the aim of undertaking corrosion risk scenarios by utilizing the estimated indices. © (2014) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Natural hazards, such as earthquakes, can have a large destructive effect on cultural heritage sites conservation. This study aims to assess from a geospatial perspective the risk from natural hazards for the archaeological sites and monuments and evaluate the potential tectonic activity impact on the cultural and historic heritage. Geomorphometric data derivatives that can be extracted from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) provide information relevant with active tectonics. The specific extracted tectonic information when being used on the basis of analytical hierarchy process and weighted linear combination approach can offer an important robust approach. The ranking of the derived information relatively to specific criteria of weights can enhance the interrelationships and assemblages over neotectonics aspects. The outcomes of that methodological framework can propose an assessment approach for the spatial distribution of neotectonic activity and can become a useful tool to assessing seismic hazard for disaster risk reduction. The risk assessment aspects of such a hazard are being interlinked with the archaeological sites in order to highlight and examine those that are exposed on ongoing tectonic activity and seismic hazard. Paphos area in Cyprus has been used as the test bed for the particular analysis. The results show an important number of archaeological sites being located within zones of high degree of neotectonic activity. © 2014 SPIE.

Remote sensing has been used for water management purposes over the years. This book describes the combination of satellite imagery, in-situ spectroradiometric data and radar techniques for the identification of water leakages in the water supply network in both rural and urban areas in Cyprus. This book presents a holistic approach combining new technologies for a complete system of water distribution network leakage detection management, by combining Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Satellite Remote Sensing techniques as well Geophysical surveys such as ground penetrating radar (GPR), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and spectro-radiometric measurements, which can be used to effectively identify and monitor water leakages.

The integration of socio-economic aspects of heritage with innovative technologies for its documentation is progressively bringing the recording activities closer to heritage management and valorisation. This paper investigates the surveying and documentation phases of one of the most important monuments in Cyprus – the Monastery of St. Herakleidios in Politiko village, on the outskirts of the capital of Lefkosia. St. Herakleidios was the first Archbishop of Cyprus and his cult was very influential all throughout the island. With its frescos, St. Heraklideios church has inspired many byzantine artists that have decorated churches of Troodos Mountain, such as UNESCO protected Archangel Michael church and the church of Kalopanayotis village. This paper discusses the results of the survey conducted on the cave considered to be the tomb of St. Herakleidios and its church. New tendencies of surveying and modelling that could contribute to a better communication of heritage and to a more reflective society are discussed in the conclusion.

Vegetation indices have been widely used for the detection of archaeological traces, based on crop marks, during different phenological stages. Such indices can be used in order to enhance interpretation performance of multispectral and hyperspectral satellite data, for identification of buried archeological remains. Although a variety of indices exists in the literature, research is still limited and only a small group of these indices have been explored. This paper aims to highlight the prospects as well the limitations of several broadband vegetation indices for the detection of Neolithic tells in the Thessalian plain (Greece). Several multispectral Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM+ satellite images have been used for evaluating the effectiveness of such indices. In addition, new developed algorithms and hyperspectral narrowband indices, specially designed for archaeological research, have been also used and compared using hyperspectral satellite data (EO-Hyperion). Indeed, the Normalized Archaeological Vegetation Index (NAVI) as well as a linear transformation of the Landsat 5 TM were applied to satellite data. The above were also compared to other processing algorithms such as Tasseled - Cap algorithm and Principal Component Analysis. The results have shown that several indices and new algorithms may be used for the enhancement of crop marks, while some no-widely used indices can be successfully used for archaeological purposes. © 2013 SPIE.

Flooding is one of the most common disasters worldwide. This paper strives to highlight the hydrological effects of multi-temporal land use changes in flood hazard. The study area is Potamia basin established in the broader Yialias catchment basin located in Nicosia -Cyprus. The certain area has suffered from several flood disasters in the recent past. Initially, the land cover regime of the study area (last 20 years) was thoroughly studied using multi-temporal satellite (ASTER) and implementing g sophisticated classification methodologies such as Object oriented analysis. Land use/ Land cover (LULC) maps for the periods of 1990, 2000 and 2010 were developed. All these maps were incorporated in the CA-Markov chain analysis model and the LULC map of 2020 was constructed. The Markov chain analysis describes the probability of land cover change from one period to another by developing a transition probability matrix between two different time periods. Following, the hydrological analysis was performed using the Hydrological Modeling System (HEC-HMS). HEC-HMS is designed to simulate the precipitation-runoff processes of dendritic watershed systems. The HEC-HMS model was set up in distributed mode, enabling the utilization of the spatial information on the land use via the Curve number coefficient. Thus, the 2020LULC map was incorporated in the hydrological model in order to predict the hydrological behavior of the catchment area for the next decade. The results were compared with the present hydrological regime and denoted the future increase of runoff due o the predicted extensive urban sprawl phenomenon.

Satellite data can be used as a valuable tool for the detection of water pipeline leakages in semiarid areas. However the use of multi-temporal satellite images for this purpose can be problematic since reflectance values may change due to phenological changes of plants, radiometric errors during the pre-processing of satellite data, etc. It is therefore important to establish a spectral signature library with “ground truth data” for different scenarios of water leakages in a control site minimizing other potential errors. For this purpose, the GER 1500 spectroradiometer was used for measuring the reflectance values of three different targets: soil, vegetation and asphalt. The targets were saturated with a specific amount of water and then several spectroradiometric measurements were taken. The narrowband reflectance values were then re-scaled to spectral bands of Landsat 5 TM and spectral signature variations were highlighted for all targets before and after moisture level were increased. Using these data, threshold values were defined in order to be used for multispectral satellite data analysis. Specifically, this data was used for detection of water leakages in pipelines in Cyprus using Landsat 5 TM images,.

This work is part of a research project named as ‘HYDROGIS LAB’. A preliminary underground survey using the newly acquired ground penetrated radar is presented. This technology provides accurate scanning and 3D spatial representation of the underground piping network. The main aim is to refine the digital imprint of the water supply network under consideration. Work has also been initiated in the development of a GIS platform for managing all information (maps, satellite imaging, 3D scans, network system components etc). The geo-radar scanning is required to support the modeling of water supply network, design and operation.

Air pollutants, together with climatic parameters, are of major importance for the deterioration of cultural heritage monuments. Atmospheric pollution is widely recognized as one of the major anthropogenic threats to architectural cultural heritage, in particular when associated with water absorption phenomena. Atmospheric particle deposition on surfaces of Monuments (of cultural heritage interest) may cause an aesthetic impact induced by a series of chemical reactions. Therefore there is a need for systematic monitoring and mapping of air pollution for areas where important archaeological sites and monuments are found. Earth observation techniques, such as the use of satellite image for the retrieval of Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT), are ideal for this purpose. In this paper, all important monuments of the Paphos District, listed by the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, have been mapped using Geographical Information Systems. Several recent (2012) MODIS satellite images (both Aqua and Terra) have been used to extract the AOT values in this area. Multi-temporal analysis was performed to identify areas of high risk where AOT values are considered to be high. In situ observations have been also carried out to verify the results.

Concrete reinforced with steel rebars remains one of the most widely used construction materials. Despite its good mechanical performance and expected service life of at least 50 years, reinforced concrete is subjected to corrosion of the steel rebars which normally leads to concrete spalling, deterioration of the reinforced concrete’s (RC) mechanical properties and eventual reduction of the structural load capacity. In Cyprus, especially in coastal regions where almost 60% of the population resides, many structural problems have been identified in RC structures, which are caused by the severe corrosion of steel rebars. Most RC, located in coastal areas, show signs of corrosion within the first 15-20 years of their service life and this affects their structural integrity and reliability, especially against seismic loading. This paper presents the research undertaken as part of the ‘STEELCOR’ project which aims to extensively evaluate the steel corrosion of RC buildings in coastal areas of Cyprus and conduct a risk assessment relating to steel corrosion. GIS are utilized in conjunction with non-destructive testing of corroded RC structures to develop a digital structural integrity map of Cyprus which shows the areas with high risk of steel corrosion of RC buildings. © (2013) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters in terms of human and economic loss and are considered to be a weather-related natural disaster. This study strives to highlight the potential of active remote sensing imagery in flood inundation monitoring and mapping in a catchment area in Cyprus (Yialias river). GeoEye-1 and ASTER images were employed to create updated Land use /Land cover maps of the study area. Following, the application of fully polarimetric (ALOS PALSAR) and dual polarimetric (ERS - 2) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for soil moisture and inundation mapping is presented. For this purpose 2 ALOS PALSAR images and 3 ERS-2 images were acquired. This study offers an integrated methodology by the use of multi-angle radar images to estimate roughness and soil moisture without the use of ancillary field data such as field measurements. The relationship between soil moisture and backscattering coefficient was thoroughly studied and linear regression models were developed to predict future flood inundation events. Multi-temporal FCC images, classification, image fusion, moisture indices, texture and PCA analysis were employed to assist soil moisture mapping. Certain land cover classes were characterized as flood prone areas according to statistics of their signal response. The results will be incorporated in an integrated flood risk assessment model of Yialias catchment area.

This paper aims to explore the formation of crops marks over archaeological features using remote sensing data. Crop marks are very important to archaeological research since they can reveal in an indirect way buried archaeological remains. Several researches have been able to locate subsurface relics via interpretation of multispectral and hyperspectral satellite images. However the best phenophase (time-window) where these crop marks are enhanced and which spectral bands are the most capable for this enhancement are still an open question for the scientific community. This study aims to address these fundamental aspects of Remote Sensing Archaeology. For this reason an extensive dataset was used: two control archaeological sites were constructed in two different areas of Cyprus (Alampra and Acheleia). In these areas both barley and wheat, were cultivated. In situ spectroradiometric measurements were taken over a whole phenological cycle (2001–2012) for both areas. More than 30 in situ campaigns were performed and more than 2600 ground measurements were collected. The phenological analysis of these measurements have shown that a period of only 15 days is best suitable for monitoring crop marks which is connected with one phenological stage; during the beginning of the boot stage of the crops. This period can be used in areas having similar climatic condition as Cyprus (Mediterranean region). Also as it was found, this phenological stage of crops might be also influenced by the climatic conditions of the area. The evaluation of a proposed Archaeological Index was performed at the Thessalian plain (central Greece), where several Neolithic settlements are established. The evaluation was made using both Hyperion and Landsat images. The results have shown that the proposed Archaeological Index is suitable for the enhancement of crop marks in satellite imagery.

This study strives to highlight the potential of flood inundation monitoring and mapping in a catchment area in Cyprus (Yialias river) with the use of radar satellite images. Due to the lack of satellite data acquired during dates flood inundation events took place, the research team selected specific images acquired during dates that severe precipitation events were recorded from the rain gauge station network of Cyprus Meteorological Service in the specific study area. The relationship between soil moisture and precipitation was thoroughly studied and linear regression models were developed to predict future flood inundation events. Specifically, the application of fully polarimetric (ALOS PALSAR) and data acquired over different dates for soil moisture mapping is presented. The PALSAR (Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar) sensor carried by the ALOS (Advanced Land Observing Satellite) have quadruple polarizations (HH, VV, HV, VH). The amount of returned radiation (as backscatter echoes) that dictates the brightness of the image depends on factors such as the roughness, size of the target relative to the signal's wavelength, volumetric and diffused scattering. The variation in soil moisture pattern during different precipitation events is presented through soil moisture maps obtained from ALOS PALSAR and data acquired during different dates with different precipitation rates. Soil moisture variation is clearly seen through soil moisture maps and the developed regression models are used to simulate future inundation events. The results indicated the considerable potential of radar satellite images in soil moisture and flood mapping in catchments areas of Mediterranean region. 2012 SPIE.

Earth observation techniques intended for archaeological research, such as satellite images and ground geophysical surveys are well established in the literature. In contrast, low altitude airborne systems for supporting archaeological research are still very limited. The ICAROS project, funded by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation, aims to develop an airborne system for archaeological investigations. The system will incorporate both a GER 1500 field spectroradiometer and NIR camera in a balloon system operated from the ground. The GER 1500 field spectroradiometer has the capability to record reflectance values from 400 nm up to 1050 nm (blue/green/red and NIR band). The Field of View (FOV) of the instrument is 4 while a calibrated spectralon panel will be used in order to minimize illumination errors during the data collection. Existing atmospheric conditions will be monitored using sun-photometer and meteorological station. The overall methodology of the project and the preliminary results from different cases studies in Cyprus are presented and discussed in this paper. Some practical problems are also discussed and the overall results are compared with satellite and ground measurements. Spectroradiometric measurements and NIR images will be taken from different heights from the balloon system. The results will be compared with different satellite images. 2012 SPIE.

The aim of the study is to validate hyperspectral ground data for the detection of buried architectural remains. For this reason spectro-radiometric measurements were taken from an archaeological area in Cyprus. Field spectro-radiometric measurements were undertaken from March to May of 2010. Spectro-radiometric measurements were taken over the previously detected magnetic anomalies using the GER 1500 spectroradiometer and they were found to be in a general agreement with the geophysical results. The results of the subsequent excavations which took place in the area verified partially the geophysical and spectro-radiometric measurements. However, the results obtained from the in-situ spectro-radiometric campaigns were found very useful for detecting spectral vegetation anomalies related with buried features. This is an issue which the authors will continue to investigate since it has proven that local conditions of the area, such as geology, is a key parameter for the detection of buried architectural remains