AI techniques for near real-time monitoring of contaminants in coastal waters on board future Phisat-2 mission

Differently from conventional procedures, the proposed solution advocates for a groundbreaking paradigm in water quality monitoring through the integration of satellite Remote Sensing (RS) data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, and onboard processing. The objective is to offer nearly real-time detection of contaminants in coastal waters addressing a significant gap in the existing literature. Moreover, the expected outcomes include substantial advancements in environmental monitoring, public health protection, and resource conservation. The specific focus of our study is on the estimation of Turbidity and pH parameters, for their implications on human and aquatic health. Nevertheless, the designed framework can be extended to include other parameters of interest in the water environment and beyond. Originating from our participation in the European Space Agency (ESA) OrbitalAI Challenge, this article describes the distinctive opportunities and issues for the contaminants monitoring on the Phisat-2 mission. The specific characteristics of this mission, with the tools made available, will be presented, with the methodology proposed by the authors for the onboard monitoring of water contaminants in near real-time. Preliminary promising results are discussed and in progress and future work introduced.

Monitoring water contaminants in coastal areas through ML algorithms leveraging atmospherically corrected Sentinel-2 data

Monitoring water contaminants is of paramount importance, ensuring public health and environmental well-being. Turbidity, a key parameter, poses a significant problem, affecting water quality. Its accurate assessment is crucial for safeguarding ecosystems and human consumption, demanding meticulous attention and action. For this, our study pioneers a novel approach to monitor the Turbidity contaminant, integrating CatBoost Machine Learning (ML) with high-resolution data from Sentinel-2 Level-2A. Traditional methods are labor-intensive while CatBoost offers an efficient solution, excelling in predictive accuracy. Leveraging atmospherically corrected Sentinel-2 data through the Google Earth Engine (GEE), our study contributes to scalable and precise Turbidity monitoring. A specific tabular dataset derived from Hong Kong contaminants monitoring stations enriches our study, providing region-specific insights. Results showcase the viability of this integrated approach, laying the foundation for adopting advanced techniques in global water quality management.