Satellite monitoring and assessment of the degree of pollution of water bodies under the influence of military operations

Abstract

The primary modern methods of monitoring water bodies, their pollution status, and the impact of military operations on them are investigated. Generally accepted, standardised methods for assessing water quality in water bodies include ground-based sampling, which is inefficient and expensive under certain conditions. Due to the full-scale invasion and active military operations, as well as the occupation of territories, this method loses its relevance. The study aims to determine the indicators and characteristics of the processes leading to changes in surface waters and to assess the degree of pollution of water bodies under the in-fluence of military operations. The most suitable approach for practical use over large areas is the remote approach, which combines ground and satellite measurements to detect pollu-tion in water bodies. The paper describes the main spectral water indices and data sets that can be used to apply satellite monitoring methods. The availability of archival data opens up the possibility of comparing the results obtained and analysing the factors influencing the state of the water bodies. Using the example of the man-made disaster at the Kakhovka HPP, the adaptability of indices for identifying areas with surface water pollution in the Black Sea basin is analysed. The results show that the NDTI spectral index should be used to assess the impact of military operations and evaluate surface water contamination. Compared to the NDWI, the surface water turbidity index allows the identification of areas with contamination due to signs caused by natural or man-made processes. The NDWI spectral index fixes the boundaries of water bodies without detailing the pollution on the water surface due to chang-es in transparency, color, or other characteristics. The work describes data sets and demon-strates the potential of using satellite monitoring to analyse large areas.