Proposal of change detection in land cover for pipeline monitoring from RapidEye and Ikonos images

Abstract

The goal of this study was to improve and evaluate the applicability of a methodological procedure of pipeline monitoring to reveal indicators of third party activities that may interfere with the structural preservation of pipes and environmental damages. The procedure was developed from the technique of change detection through object-based classification of land cover, using high resolution satellite images applied to a section of the Guararema-Mauá –São Paulo pipeline, Brazil. In the seven-month monitoring period performed with RapidEye imaging, an area of 2.024 km² was identified as area of change, corresponding to 3.30% of the total area analyzed. For the monitoring performed with Ikonos imaging during a four-month period, changes were detected in an area of 0.187 km², which corresponded to 1.92% of the total area analyzed. The main changes in land cover were from Bare Soil to Grassland, due to changes related to the different stages of agricultural activity and reforestation areas, as well as the natural regeneration of vegetation over the pipeline and solid waste landfill. The results of the change detection of land cover from object-based classification were close to the technique reference limit for areas with great complexity and diversity of space occupation.