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Bannert, Dietrich 
  
THE APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING TO NATURAL HAZARDS OF GEOLOGIC ORIGIN- 
EXPERIENCES LEARNED FROM GARS-PROGRAM OF UNESCO AND IUGS 
Dietrich Bannert, 
Chairman of the UNESCO/IUGS GARS-Program 
BUNDESANSTALT FUR GEOWISSENSCHAFTEN UND ROHSTOFFE-BGR 
(FEDERAL INSTITUTE FOR GEOSCIENCES AND NATURAL RESOURCES) 
P.O.Box 510153 D-30631 HANNOVER F. R. of Germany 
Telefax Nr.: ++49 511 6432 304 E-mail: bannert@bgr.de 
KEY WORDS: remote sensing, geologic hazard mitigation, erosion, landslides, volcanoes, earthquakes, 
international co-operation 
Abstract: 
Natural hazards of geological origin have become a significant threat to a large part of the world population. Remote 
sensing methods can be used to assess the potential for many natural and man made geological hazards. The assessment 
of risks involving volcanoes, earthquakes and active faults, landslides, mudflows, floods, can be considerably improved 
by using remote sensing data as an additional and important source of information. The Geological Application of 
Remote Sensing (GARS) Programme is addressing a wide variety of these issues and invites geological and remote 
sensing institutes around the world to join. 
Kurzfassung: 
Naturgefahren geologischen Ursprungs sind eine bedeutende Bedrohung für einen großen Teil der Weltbevölkerung 
geworden. Fernerkundungs - Methoden können genutzt werden, um das Gefährdungspotential vieler natürlicher und 
durch menschliche Aktivitäten verursachten Risiken zu bewerten. Die Risiko-Abschätzung bei Vulkanen, Erdbeben und 
aktiven Störungen, Hangrutschen, Schlammströmen, Überflutungen kann durch die Hinzuziehung fernerkundlicher 
Daten als eine weitere, wichtigen Informationsquelle, erheblich verbessert werden. Das GARS-Programm widmet sich 
einer großen Bandbreite dieser Themen und lädt weitere geologische und Fernerkundungs - Institute der ganzen Welt 
ein, diesem Programm beizutreten. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
In recent years natural hazards - many of those of geologic origin - became an issue of increasing public awareness. 
There are a number of reasons, governing this development: 
- rapid dissemination of news, intensive media coverage 
- larger populations moving into potential risk areas 
- loss of financial investments due to natural catastrophes 
- unsuitable land-use and land management 
There is, a on the other hand, a rapid development in the information technology sector, especially in earth observation. 
Earth observation satellites and remote sensing aircraft are the platforms, which are used to install sophisticated 
equipment designed to scan the earth in numerous wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. 
Modern remote sensing technology provides excellent opportunities to observe geodynamic processes. However, the 
sensors and platforms to be utilised have to be adequate to the problem addressed. In many cases, where fast processes 
are involved, a high repetition rate is essential in monitoring the event. 
  
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000. 113