About

We have achieved visibility for our sustainable and innovative approach to the environmental assessment due to the implementation of GIS software and support decision software and by the use of photogrammetry and survey technique specially implemented for cost effective detection of polluted areas. Our main skills focuses on the prediction of land use change and on landscape survey and on the LC approach to landscape recovery and landscape design.

Landscape Analysis and Monitoring

The research group addresses and elaborates techniques, methods and models of Landscape Analysis, as a process to describe and interpreting the dynamics of the landscape and evaluate the Land Use Change (LUC) legacies, also from an environmental and ecological point of view. The group provides support activities in the processes of understanding and spatial planning and landscape, analysis and evaluation of the evolutionary dynamics – of the past and possible through the construction of scenarios.

Land-use change effects on climate

Land-use change causes a change in soil albedo, which means a change in the amount of radiation reflected back to space. This phenomenon has a strong influence on climate, because the change in soil temperature determines a change in thermal updraft. On a global scale, General Circulation Models (GCMs) are now used. Convection occurs on too small a scale to be resolved by climate models, and hence it must be handled via parameters. For this reason, simpler models, like Radiative-Convective models, have to be taken into account.

Albedo measurement

Albedo is a reflecting power of a surface. It is the ratio of reflected radiation from the surface to incident radiation upon it. Commonly, it is measured by applying an albedometer, consisting of two pyrometers, one facing the sky, the other facing the ground. Our research group is involved in albedo measurement of the Eastern part of Naples.

LCA - Life Cycle Assessment

Our group is involved in innovative research aimed at developing and promoting bioenergy technologies to support sustainable rural development. Under this research, the group aims at developing methods to support policy and decision making on biomass energy development. This involves holistic consideration of the social, economic, environmental and technological aspects of bioenergy systems. The group aims at customising tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to facilitate decision making in developing countries.

Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

Our group is actively involved in the field of photogrammetry and remote sensing. In particular, our research activities deals with accurate measurements, geo-referenced and geospatial data analyses, mapping and surveying, 3D monitoring and modeling of landscapes, environmental change detection, environmental pollution analyses, GIS and cartography applications. The mai goals are: create fine precision DEM, wetland detection, land mapping and surveying, landscape 3D monitoring and modelling