Surface temperatures derived by 208 ASTER and L8 satellite imagery were analysed to test multiscale and multitemporal capability through available sets of thermal data to support the volcanic monitoring of Vulcano Island in Italy. The analysis of thermal historical series derived by ASTER and L8 shows that two are the main thermally active areas: La Fossa crater and the mud pool of Fangaia. In this work we aimed to assess the correlation between the satellite-retrieved temperatures with those measured during the daytime ground field campaign conducted within the same time period and, in particular cases, simultaneously. Moreover, nighttime data acquired by an airborne and field campaign were processed with the same methodology applied to satellite data for a multiscale approach verification. Historical meteorological data acquired from a weather station were also considered. Statistically significant correlations were observed between nighttime acquisitions and meteorological data. Correlations were also significant for temperature measured during the airborne campaign, while differences up to 50% with daytime acquisition during the ground field campaigns were observed. The analysis of the results suggests that within nighttime data acquisition, differences between satellite-derived temperatures and ground temperature measurements are considerably reduced; therefore nighttime data acquisition is recommended to detect thermal anomalies.

The measurement of volcanic gases, such as CO₂ and SO₂, emitted from summit craters and fumaroles is crucial to monitor volcanic activity, providing estimations of gases fluxes, and geochemical information that helps to assess the status and the risk level of an active volcano. During high degassing events, the measurement of volcanic emissions is a dangerous task that cannot be performed using hand portable or backpack carried gas analysis systems. Measurements of gases plumes could be safety achieved by using instruments mounted on UAS (Unmanned Aerial System). In this work, we present the measurements of CO₂, SO₂, and H₂S gases collected with a miniaturized MultiGAS instrument during 2021 and 2022 field campaigns. They took place at several thermally active areas in Italy: Pisciarelli (Naples, Italy), Stromboli volcano (Messina, Italy), and Parco Naturalistico delle Biancane (Grosseto, Italy).

Vulcano belongs to the seven volcanic islands forming the Aeolian archipelago (Italy) and has the privilege to define an eruptive style as “Vulcanian”. It has to be considered as an active volcano as its most recent activity demonstrated. Starting by late spring 2021, the thermal state of the Vulcano summit area changed and the gas emission increased. During the summer and, in particular, starting from September, geophysical and geochemical signals, precisely those linked to the activity of the hydrothermal system that feeds the fumaroles of the Fossa crater, varied. The temperature of the gases emitted by the fumaroles on the crater rim has increased and the composition of the gases has showed an increase in CO₂ and SO₂ (carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide) concentration. For such reasons, the authors decided to follow this event by analyzing the remotely sensed available data suitable for detecting changes in thermal state. By processing the TIRS (Landsat 8) and ASTER time series, two long-term surface temperature logs were obtained and, therefore, by adopting a statistical approach, an analysis in both space and time domains has emphasized a thermal signature since mid-September 2021.

Mapping and managing Earth’s mineral resources demands advanced techniques for characterizing surface composition, a challenge that can be effectively addressed by spaceborne Earth observation. Thermal infrared (TIR) sensors hosted on orbital platforms provide a powerful tool for regional scale (~1000s km2), high-resolution (≤100m) identification of mineral composition and surface thermal properties. In this study, we demonstrate the potential of multispectral TIR image data acquired by the ECOSTRESS and ASTER spaceborne sensors with near-global coverage to produce the first mineral maps of the Earth’s arid and semi-arid regions. TIR data complement Visible to ShortWave InfraRed (VSWIR) data because most important rock forming minerals do not have features in the VSWIR. Thus, integrating TIR-derived mineralogy is essential to comprehensively map the surface composition and interpret the geology. The mapping results were validated at three sites—the Algodones Dunes (quartz), White Sands Dunes (gypsum), and Mehdi Ridge (calcite)—showing strong spatial and abundance agreement with laboratory data from field samples and reference literature. These results confirm the reliability of high spatial resolution multispectral TIR data in capturing major surface mineral distributions.

Urban surfaces play a crucial role in shaping the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect by absorbing and retaining significant solar radiation. This paper explores the potential of high-resolution satellite imagery as an alternative method for characterizing urban surfaces to support UHI mitigation strategies in urban redevelopment plans. We utilized Landsat images spanning the past 40 years to analyze trends in Land Surface Temperature (LST). Additionally, WorldView-3 (WV3) imagery was acquired for surface characterization, and the results were compared with ground truth measurements using the ASD FieldSpec 4 spectroradiometer. Our findings revealed a strong correlation between satellite-derived surface reflectance and ground truth measurements across various urban surfaces, with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values ranging from 0.01 to 0.14. Optimal characterization was observed for surfaces such as bituminous membranes and parking with cobblestones (RMSE < 0.03), although higher RMSE values were noted for tiled roofs, likely due to aging effects. Regarding surface albedo, the differences between satellite-derived data and ground measurements consistently remained below 12% for all surfaces, with the lowest values observed in high heat-absorbing surfaces like bituminous membranes. Despite challenges on certain surfaces, our study highlights the reliability of satellite-derived data for urban surface characterization, thus providing valuable support for UHI mitigation efforts.