Autumnal Beach Litter Identification by Mean of Using Ground-Based IR
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environments Article Autumnal Beach Litter Identification by Mean of Using Ground-Based IR Thermography Cosimo Cagnazzo 1,* , Ettore Potente 1 , Hervé Regnauld 2, Sabino Rosato 3 and Giuseppe Mastronuzzi 1 1 Department of Earth and Geo-Environmental Science, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy; [email protected] (E.P.); [email protected] (G.M.) 2 Littoral, Environnement, Télédétection, Géomatique, University of Rennes 2, 35043 Rennes, France; [email protected] 3 Serveco Srl, 74020 Montemesola, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: The progress of scientific research and technological innovation are contributing to an increase in the use of rapid systems for monitoring and identifying geo-environmental processes related to natural and/or anthropogenic activities. The aim of this study is identifying autumnal beach litter using ground-based IR thermography. Starting from quarterly autumn monitoring data of air temperature and sandy soil surface temperature, an empirical equation between the two environmental matrices (air and sandy soil) is obtained. This will allow the calculation of the sandy soil surface temperature knowing only the air temperature. Therefore, it will be possible to know in advance the thermal response of the sandy soil, thus creating a thermal blank of the beach. Using an IR thermal camera, it is possible for a quicker identification of thermal anomalies of the coastal area potentially connected to the presence of pollution due to the anthropogenic origin (particularly plastic material). The test area is located in the area of the Coastal Dunes Regional Natural Park of Citation: Cagnazzo, C.; Potente, E.; Ostuni–Fasano in Apulia (southern Italy). Regnauld, H.; Rosato, S.; Mastronuzzi, G. Autumnal Beach Keywords: beach litter; infrared thermography; UAV; UGV; environmental monitoring; coastal pol- Litter Identification by Mean of Using lution Ground-Based IR Thermography. Environments 2021, 8, 37. https:// doi.org/10.3390/environments8050037 1. Introduction Academic Editor: Sílvia C. Goncalves Among the atmospheric and non-atmospheric parameters that influence the proper- ties of the climate system, temperature is a very relevant parameter in all the chemical, Received: 22 March 2021 physical and biological processes that affect the soil formation and its persistence in a Accepted: 22 April 2021 natural environment. Considering the same source of thermal radiation, each material is Published: 24 April 2021 heated differently according to its chemical-physical characteristics. Scientific research and technological innovation have developed new methodologies (IR thermography) and new Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral investigation tools (thermal cameras) based on the use of temperature for the identifica- with regard to jurisdictional claims in tion of different materials, such as sandy soil. IR thermography allows for detecting and published maps and institutional affil- quantifying the infrared energy emitted by any object above absolute zero temperature iations. (−273.14 ◦C). Since every object characterized by a temperature above absolute zero emits thermal energy, it can be identified through infrared thermography. Thermal cameras allow for quick and remote collection of a large amount of data. Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Over the last few years, the use of thermography has become widespread in various Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. fields such as: research and development, quality and process control, healthcare, con- This article is an open access article struction, industry and the mechanical field [1–4]. In the environmental monitoring field, distributed under the terms and thermography had a remarkable development, especially in wildfire detection [5], while is conditions of the Creative Commons only a first approach for flora and vegetation habitat monitoring, and sometimes also for Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ wildfauna, which necessarily require observations and confirmations directly in the field. 4.0/). Environments 2021, 8, 37. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments8050037 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/environments Environments 2021, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 12 Environments 2021, 8, 37 also for wildfauna, which necessarily require observations and confirmations directly2 of in 12 the field. Moreover, the growing anthropogenic impact on the natural coastal environment is causingMoreover, a significant the growingincrease in anthropogenic coastal pollution impact [6] and on spills the natural of chemical coastal products environment in the marineis causing environment a significant [7]. increaseThe need in to coastalidentify pollution the areas [affected6] and spills by such of chemicalevents is affirming products thein theuse marine of thermography environment as [7 ].a The new need techni to identifyque, complementary the areas affected to other by such traditional events is methodologiesaffirming the use [8–10]. of thermography as a new technique, complementary to other traditional methodologiesIR thermal [ 8cameras–10]. are also installed on aerial (UAV) and terrestrial (UGV) platforms,IR thermal resulting cameras in effective are also equipment installed on in aerialterms (UAV) of time and efficiency terrestrial and (UGV) timeliness platforms, [11– 16].resulting in effective equipment in terms of time efficiency and timeliness [11–16]. TheThe aim aim of of this this study study is is identifying autumnal autumnal beach beach litter litter using using ground-based ground-based IR IR thermography.thermography. Starting Starting from from statistical statistical analysis analysis results results of of monitoring monitoring data data collected collected by by twotwo air air temperature temperature and and sandy-soil sandy-soil temperatur temperaturee sensors, sensors, installed installed in in the the Coastal Coastal Dunes Dunes RegionalRegional Natural Natural Park Park (Ostuni–Fasano, (Ostuni–Fasano, Italy) Italy) (Figure (Figure 11),), an empirical relation between thethe environmentalenvironmental matrices matrices (air (air and and sandy sandy soil) soil) will will be be found. found. This This will will allow allow to to estimate estimate the the sandy-soilsandy-soil surface surface temperature temperature kn knowingowing only only the the air air temperature. temperature. Figure 1. (a) Study area localization in the Coastal Dunes Regional Natural Park (Apulia, Italy); Figure 1. (a) Study area localization in the Coastal Dunes Regional Natural Park (Apulia, Italy); (b) Polar(b) Polar plots plots of the of wind the wind speed speed distribution distribution and andwave wave height height distribution. distribution. By estimating the sandy-soil surface temperature it will be possible to rapidly detect any thermal anomalies along the sandy coast, such as anomalies deriving from plastic pollution, by using thermal cameras installed on aerial or terrestrial platforms. The results Environments 2021, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 12 Environments 2021, 8, 37 3 of 12 By estimating the sandy-soil surface temperature it will be possible to rapidly detect any thermal anomalies along the sandy coast, such as anomalies deriving from plastic pollution, by using thermal cameras installed on aerial or terrestrial platforms. The results of this studyof will this helpstudy with will the help optimization with the optimization of infrared thermographyof infrared thermography applications applications in the in the coastal environmentalcoastal environmental monitoring. monitoring. 1.1. Ecological1.1. Setting Ecological Setting The CoastalThe Dunes Coastal Regional Dunes Natural Regional Park Natural extends Park from extends the coast from towards the coast inland towards inland agriculturalagricultural areas, occupied areas, by centuries-oldoccupied by olive centuries-old groves. It includes olive thegroves. Site ofIt Community includes the Site of ImportanceCommunity (SIC) “Litorale Importance Brindisi”, (SIC) included “Litorale in the Brindi Europeansi”, included network in “Natura the European 2000”. network In the Park“Natura are many 2000”. species In ofthe flora Park that are are many well species preserved, of flora such that as theare psammophilouswell preserved, such as the and Cakiletumpsammophilous maritimae [17 and–19 ].Cakiletum The system maritimae erosion and[17– the19]. relative The system vegetation erosion are and not the relative caused by thevegetation wind but are are not mainly caused due by to the people wind leveling but are themainly sand due in the to people summer leveling season, the sand in especially inthe the summer investigated season, site andespecially in general in the on theinvestigated whole psammophilous site and in coastalgeneral area on the whole that extendspsammophilous from the site study coastal and area far asthat Brindisi. extends from the site study and far as Brindisi. The Park wasThe established Park was established with the aim with of conserving the aim of co andnserving recovering and therecovering habitats the and habitats and animal andanimal plant species and plant indicated species in indicated Community in Community Directives 79/409/EEC Directives 79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC. and 92/43/EEC. 1.2. Geological and Geomorphological Setting 1.2. Geological and Geomorphological Setting The area covered by this study is located on the Apulian Adriatic coast, in the Coastal The area covered by this study is located on the Apulian Adriatic coast, in the