Multi-sensor integration and mapping strategies for the detection and remediation of the red mud spill in Kolontar, Hungary: Estimating the thickness of the spill layer using hyperspectral imaging and Lidar

The village of Kolontár, Hungary had became the site of one of the largest industrial spills in Europe on October 4th, 2010. The primary objective of the hyperspectral remote sensing mission was monitoring needed to estimate environmental damage, the precise size of the polluted area, the rating of substance concentration in the mud, and the overall condition of the flooded district. The secondary objective was aimed to provide geodetic data necessary for the high-resolution visual information from the data obtained with an additional Lidar survey, and for coherent modelling of the event. For quick assessment and remediation purposes, it was deemed important to estimate the thickness of the red mud, particularly the areas where the depths of the layer were more than 3cm. The results showed that some of the existing tools can be readily modified and implemented to get the most out of the available advanced remotely sensed data.