Environmental Applications using Remote Sensing Technology

Central theme of Dr. Chudnovky research is ecological effects of pollutants in air, water and soil, examined via fusion of remote sensing with Geographical Information Systems (GIS), environmental engineering and advanced statistics. Her research agenda builds on addressing questions related to the nature of geographic change on Earth: not only how it occurs but also what drives it. Much of her current research is concerned with developing modeling methods to predict geographical distribution of ground level concentrations from satellite data. Using high-resolution satellite information on aerosols, she evaluates the contribution of local and regional pollution sources to the urban air quality: anthropogenic activities in and outside cities and natural sources such as desert dust. She combines these data with that on spatial patterns of air temperatures, urban heat islands, and particulate matter concentrations within the city in order to generate a comprehensive view of the air pollution for public health purposes and creating “healthy” environments for humans. This is policy-relevant research that contributes to well-informed decision-making and to greater understanding of environmental health hazards. 

The world is facing a severe threat to food supply for the ever-increasing global population. This is exacerbated by the current rate of productive soil loss. Another aspect of her research work she will present at the seminar deal with monitoring soils, sediments and soil degradation processes.