Geoinformatik / GIS

EO4HumEn+

EO-based services to support humanitarian operations: monitoring population and natural resources in refugee/IDP camps

EO4HumEn+ is a research project of Z_GIS, DLR, the Austrian Red Cross, Spatial Services GmbH, the Department of Geography of the University of Tuebingen and Groundwater Relief as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross, MSF Section Austria and SOS Children's Villages as associated partners.

The aim is to develop and demonstrate innovative applications for satellite image interpretation and GIS to meet the diverse information needs of the humanitarian community. In particular, we develop methods to monitor the population dynamics in urban settlements during crisis situations, improve the analysis capabilities of the large amounts of freely available Earth Observation data by implementing partly automated routines, and explore the satellite-based suport of groundwater management practices.

The project is funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG.

Our work

Our task within this research project is the acquisition, preparation and analysis of radar images, also called SAR data. They are independent from atmospheric conditions (such as clouds), daylight and show the earth's surface characteristics. They therefore provide great potential for humanitarian use.The picture below shows a comparison of images from WorldView-3 and TerraSAR-X for a part of the refugee camp Dagahaley, Kenya. While information below cloud cover is lost in optical images, SAR satellites operate at higher wavelenghs which less affected by atmospheric disturbances.

Publications

  • Braun, A.; Lang, S.; Rogenhofer, E. (2022). Identifying refugee settlements using satellite images of high spatial and temporal resolution: A comparison of sensors and approaches. TRC Journal of Humanitarian Action 1(1), 59-79. doi:10.55280/trcjha.2022.1.1.0008. PDF

  • Braun, A. (2021): Extraction of dwellings of displaced persons from VHR radar imagery. A review on current challenges and future perspectives. GI_Forum 9 (1), 201-208. doi.10.1553/giscience2021_01_s201. PDF

  • Braun, A.; Höser, T.; Delgado Basco, J.M. (2021): Elevation change of Bhasan Char measured by persistent scatterer interferometry using Sentinel-1 data in a humanitarian context. European Journal of Remote Sensing 54(1), 109-126. doi:10.1080/22797254.2020.1789507. PDF

  • Braun, A. (2020): Spaceborne radar imagery – An under-utilized source of information for humanitarian relief. Journal of Humanitarian Engineering 8(1).doi:10.36479/jhe.v8i1.164. PDF

  • Lang, S.; Füreder, P; Riedler; Wendt, L.; Braun, A.; Tiede, D.; Schoepfer, E.; Zeil, P.; Spröhnle, K.; Kulessa, K.; Rogenhofer, E.; Bääuerl, M.; Öze, A; Schwendemann, G.; Hochschild, V. (2019): Earth observation tools and services to increase the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance. European Journal of Remote Sensing, 1-19. doi:10.1080/22797254.2019.1684208. PDF

  • Braun, A.; Fakhri, F.; Hochschild, V. (2019): Refugee Camp Monitoring and Environmental Change Assessment of Kutupalong, Bangladesh, Based on Radar Imagery of Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2. Remote Sensing 11(17), 2074. doi:10.3390/rs11172047. PDF

  • Braun, A.; Wagner, J.; Hochschild, V. (2018): Above-ground biomass estimates based on active and passive sensor imagery in low-biomass savanna ecosystems. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing 12(4). doi:10.1117/1.JRS.12.046027. PDF
  • Braun, A.; Hochschild, V. (2017): Potential and limitations of radar remote sensing for humanitarian operations. Journal for Geographic Information Science 1. 228-243. . doi:10.1553/giscience2017_01_s228. PDF
  • Braun, A.; Hochschild, V. (2017): A SAR-Based Index for Landscape Changes in African Savannas. Remote Sensing 9(4), 359; doi:10.3390/rs904035. PDF.
  • Braun, A.; Lang, S.; Hochschild, V. (2016): Impact of refugee camps on their environment. A case study using multi-temporal SAR data. Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International 4(2), 1–17. doi:10.9734/JGEESI/2016/22392. PDF
  • Braun, A; Hagensieker, R.; Hochschild, V. (2016): Filling of Cloud-Induced Gaps for Land Use and Land Cover Classifications Around Refugee Camps. In: Proceedings of Living Planet Symposium (SP740) 09.–13.05.2016, Prague. PDF
  • Braun, A.; Hochschild, V. (2015): Combining SAR and optical data for environmental assessments around refugee camps. In: Jekel, T.; Car, A.; Strobl, J.; Griesebner, G. (Hrsg.): Geospatial Minds For Society, 424–433. doi:10.1553/giscience2015s424. PDF
  • Wendt, L.; Hilberg, S.; Robl, J.; Braun, A.; Lang, S.: Using remote sensing and GIS to support drinking water supply in refugee/IDP camps. In: Jekel, T.; Car, A.; Strobl, J.; Griesebner, G. (Hrsg.): Geospatial Minds For Society, 449–458. doi:10.1553/giscience2015s449. PDF
  • Braun, A.; Hochschild, V. (2015): Combined use of SAR and optical data for environmental assessments around refugee camps in semiarid landscapes. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Volume XL-7/W3, 777–782. doi:10.5194/isprsarchives-XL-7-W3-777-2015. PDF