K - Final 
SIA “93 
er 1993. 
\pression 
p 31-44 
utomated 
- SPIE 
Orlando, 
EARTH OBSERVATION FOR IDENTIFICATION OF NATURAL DISASTERS 
EOFIND 
Dr. Steffen Kuntz, Claudia Streck 
Kayser-Threde GmbH, Wolfratshauser Str. 48, D-81379 Miinchen 
ku@kayser-threde.de 
Claudia Kessler 
VRS GmbH, 
ke@vrs.de 
Carlo Lavalle 
Joint Research Centre 
I-21020 Ispra / Varese 
carlo.lavalle@ jrc.it 
Commission II, Working Group 5 
KEY WORDS: Environment, Hydrology, Change Detection, Monitoring, SAR, Satellite, Thematic, User 
ABSTRACT: 
EOFIND is an Application Proof-of-Concept study that is performed in the frame of the pathfinder phase of the Centre of Earth 
Observation (CEO) of the European Commission to evaluate the feasibility of CEO for disaster management. The objective of this 
study is to demonstrate how disaster management can be supported by using satellite Earth observation images as a part of the CEO 
Programme. 
In order to meet the user requirements EOFIND is performed under the umbrella of the secretary of the IDNDR in Geneva, as a 
response to the conference on disaster reduction in Yokohama in 1994. A survey of the needs of civil protection organisations and 
non-governmental organisations (NGO's) is included. The study shall help to reduce the reluctance of NGO's against space 
technology. A first step towards this goal was an international workshop which was held successfully at the premises of Kayser- 
Threde on December 12th, 1995. 
1 INTRODUCTION 
The main goal of EOFIND is to demonstrate the utilisation of 
existing space and ground infrastructure for disaster 
management to governments and aid organisations. This 
includes the collection of user requirements, examples of 
successful applications, promotion materials and the creation of 
a dedicated EOFIND webpage. Based on that, it is investigated 
how CEO can provide adequate means to serve the needs of 
organisations in charge of disaster prevention and relief. 
Based on two case studies executed between 1991 and 1993 the 
potentials, as well as still existing limitations of satellite remote 
sensing for disaster management, are discussed in detail. These 
studies investigated the use of EO data to inventory storm 
damages in Central European forests and to assess forest fire 
risks in Greece. Special emphasis has been put on its 
applicability under the current international conditions and their 
impacts to the CEO-concept. In addition, a short study on the 
flood in January 1995 in Central Europe is executed. This study 
concentrates on the operational aspects of data acquisition, 
distribution, value-adding and provision of results to final users 
in charge of disaster relief using ERS-1 data provided by the 
RAIDS system and electronic networks (INTERNET, WWW). 
The RAIDS demonstration has provided valuable insight into 
several key issues to be considered in developing an operational 
207 
service for data suppliers. The major problems which need to be 
overcome have been highlighted. 
2 USER FEEDBACK ANALYSIS 
In the frame of EOFIND several means are applied to inform 
users about the possibilities of using satellite Earth observation 
for disaster management. The general tendency shows that 
currently for disaster management only small amounts of 
satellite EO data are used, whereas traditionally, in-situ data 
sources are widely employed. 
The typical users in disaster management are specified in the 
following: 
m The ,scientific user" in disaster management is usually 
working in a university or an institute and already. trained to 
work with satellite Earth observation data (e.g. Institute for 
Cartography, Dresden; Joanneum Research Centre, Graz). 
m The „commercial user” in disaster management is mainly 
based in insurance companies. 
m The naive ,end user^ is working in a disaster management or 
civil protection organisation. 
All these users are having different types of requirements. But 
all these users have one thing in common: the current usage of 
satellite EO data by these organisations is minimal. This 
implies, that the benefit that could be achieved by the presence 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B2. Vienna 1996