Thermal-Based Remote Sensing Solution for Identifying Coastal Zones with Potential Groundwater Discharge

Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) is an essential process of the hydrological cycle by hydraulically connecting the land and sea. However, the occurrence, importance and effects of SGD remain largely underexplored. Here, we developed and validated a straightforward tool for mapping potential SGD...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Julián E. Londoño-Londoño, Maria Teresa Condesso de Melo, João N. Nascimento, Ana C. F. Silva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/3/414
_version_ 1797470334984650752
author Julián E. Londoño-Londoño
Maria Teresa Condesso de Melo
João N. Nascimento
Ana C. F. Silva
author_facet Julián E. Londoño-Londoño
Maria Teresa Condesso de Melo
João N. Nascimento
Ana C. F. Silva
author_sort Julián E. Londoño-Londoño
collection DOAJ
description Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) is an essential process of the hydrological cycle by hydraulically connecting the land and sea. However, the occurrence, importance and effects of SGD remain largely underexplored. Here, we developed and validated a straightforward tool for mapping potential SGD areas in coastal ecosystems of Portugal. Our approach was based on the premise that relatively cooler groundwater discharging to warmer coastal waters manifests in the thermal band of satellite imagery acquired during the summer months. We then used Landsat 8 thermal infrared imagery (TIR) to derive sea surface temperature and standardized temperature anomalies maps. The results confirmed the capacity of TIR remote sensing for identifying SGD areas. The thermal analysis enabled us to acquire a useful visual-spatial correlation between the location of thermal anomalies and potentiometric surfaces of coastal aquifers. This way, over 20 potential SGD areas were identified. Our study makes an important contribute to our current SGD research status by developing a cost-efficient tool which can be used as a first level approach for large areas. Further investigation is needed to quantify the SGD and its potential effect in the receiving ecosystems, especially those located within environmentally protected areas.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T19:35:08Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f617ede7a08743eb9b6c5ec7f198ef71
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2077-1312
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T19:35:08Z
publishDate 2022-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
spelling doaj.art-f617ede7a08743eb9b6c5ec7f198ef712023-11-24T01:58:24ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-03-0110341410.3390/jmse10030414Thermal-Based Remote Sensing Solution for Identifying Coastal Zones with Potential Groundwater DischargeJulián E. Londoño-Londoño0Maria Teresa Condesso de Melo1João N. Nascimento2Ana C. F. Silva3CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalCERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalCERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalCERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalSubmarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) is an essential process of the hydrological cycle by hydraulically connecting the land and sea. However, the occurrence, importance and effects of SGD remain largely underexplored. Here, we developed and validated a straightforward tool for mapping potential SGD areas in coastal ecosystems of Portugal. Our approach was based on the premise that relatively cooler groundwater discharging to warmer coastal waters manifests in the thermal band of satellite imagery acquired during the summer months. We then used Landsat 8 thermal infrared imagery (TIR) to derive sea surface temperature and standardized temperature anomalies maps. The results confirmed the capacity of TIR remote sensing for identifying SGD areas. The thermal analysis enabled us to acquire a useful visual-spatial correlation between the location of thermal anomalies and potentiometric surfaces of coastal aquifers. This way, over 20 potential SGD areas were identified. Our study makes an important contribute to our current SGD research status by developing a cost-efficient tool which can be used as a first level approach for large areas. Further investigation is needed to quantify the SGD and its potential effect in the receiving ecosystems, especially those located within environmentally protected areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/3/414submarine groundwater dischargethermal infrared imagesremote sensingmanagement toolcase study
spellingShingle Julián E. Londoño-Londoño
Maria Teresa Condesso de Melo
João N. Nascimento
Ana C. F. Silva
Thermal-Based Remote Sensing Solution for Identifying Coastal Zones with Potential Groundwater Discharge
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
submarine groundwater discharge
thermal infrared images
remote sensing
management tool
case study
title Thermal-Based Remote Sensing Solution for Identifying Coastal Zones with Potential Groundwater Discharge
title_full Thermal-Based Remote Sensing Solution for Identifying Coastal Zones with Potential Groundwater Discharge
title_fullStr Thermal-Based Remote Sensing Solution for Identifying Coastal Zones with Potential Groundwater Discharge
title_full_unstemmed Thermal-Based Remote Sensing Solution for Identifying Coastal Zones with Potential Groundwater Discharge
title_short Thermal-Based Remote Sensing Solution for Identifying Coastal Zones with Potential Groundwater Discharge
title_sort thermal based remote sensing solution for identifying coastal zones with potential groundwater discharge
topic submarine groundwater discharge
thermal infrared images
remote sensing
management tool
case study
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/3/414
work_keys_str_mv AT julianelondonolondono thermalbasedremotesensingsolutionforidentifyingcoastalzoneswithpotentialgroundwaterdischarge
AT mariateresacondessodemelo thermalbasedremotesensingsolutionforidentifyingcoastalzoneswithpotentialgroundwaterdischarge
AT joaonnascimento thermalbasedremotesensingsolutionforidentifyingcoastalzoneswithpotentialgroundwaterdischarge
AT anacfsilva thermalbasedremotesensingsolutionforidentifyingcoastalzoneswithpotentialgroundwaterdischarge