Bannert, Dietrich 
  
ground. They will be much more capable of thermal mapping than the current thermal sensors on NOAA and other 
weather satellites. 
To assess the local impact of a volcanic eruption, radar and optical sensors have been proven to be very cost-effective, 
especially when combined with digital terrain models. 
Volcanic hazard prediction includes the application of the above mentioned sensors, as well as precise digital terrain 
models in order to predict possible eruption centres and the possible distribution of volcanic products downhill. 
2.3 Active faults and earthquakes 
Optical as well as radar satellite imagery are excellent tools to map active faults. They occur in regionally different 
patterns, and the knowledge of these patterns, the reconstruction of the kind of movements along the faults, and their 
connection with active volcanoes will greatly help in the assessment of geological hazards. If compared with information 
on the location of seismic hypo- and epi-centres areas prone to earthquakes can be more precisely delineated. 
Observations from LANDSAT-TM images in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal and China revealed a clear connection 
between of active faults, associated with earthquakes, and the occurrence of large landslides. Effects of earthquakes of 
‚the kind, which devastated Mexico City in 1986 can be predicted by mapping large basins and analyse the underground 
sediments with conventional geological methods. 
The delineation of active faults becomes an urgent necessity. Many damsites in the world have been constructed on 
active faults and the knowledge of the distribution of such faults, especially when they are associated with earthquake 
hypo-and epi-centres might help to mitigate larger losses due to dam collapses and landslides, as well as by direct 
earthquake damage. 
2. THE ROLE OF UNESCO/IUGS GARS-PROGRAM IN NATURAL HAZARD PREDICTION AND 
MONITORING 
The GARS-Program during the outgoing IDNDR, devotes its future emphasis to the mitigation and monitoring of 
natural hazards in the broadest sense. It is determined to transfer the knowledge of remote sensing applications of 
experienced institutes and laboratories to those institutions, which need to apply these methods. The program has 
currently 13 active institutes and is open to any institute and laboratory that wishes to participate and exchange their 
experiences with others 
The GARS-Program is not funding projects, but it supports the exchange of knowledge through seminars and 
workshops. It emphasises the wider use of remote sensing techniques for hazard mitigation and monitoring. 
The GARS-Program is a member of the CEOS advisory group and wishes to propose to the space industry and funding 
agencies to plan future space missions in closer contact with the user community. The network of operational earth 
observing satellites still leaves much to be desired: special radar-interferometric missions with dual receiving antennas, 
continuous spatially high resolution thermal sensors with high repetition rates and vegetation instruments with free 
access to local users would be among those missions, which are urgently needed, in order to cope with the challenges of 
the third millennium. 
Selected Bibliography 
Bannert, D., 1998: Thermal Mapping of active volcanoes - Mitteilungen der Deutschen Geophysik. Gesellschaft, 
Sonderband I11/1998, Merapi-Galeras Workshop, Potsdam, 25. Juni 1998, pp. 69-71 
Bannert, D. and R. MISSOTTEN, 1999: Natural Hazards of geologic Origin - Erosion, Land Degradation/ 
Desertification, Volcanoes and active Faults- The UNESCO/IUGS Geological Application of Remote Sensing (GARS )- 
Programme - Int. Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vol. XXXII, part 7C2, pp. 99-103, July 1999 
Vienna 
  
116 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000.