Carbone (2026) Remote Sensing’s Role in Assessing the Risks of Climate Extremes

Identification

• Journal: Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-09
• Authors: Gregory J. Carbone
• DOI: 10.14358/pers.24-00137r2

Research Groups

• Department of Geography, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

Short Summary

This paper reviews how remote sensing and Geographic Information Science (GIScience) have significantly reduced uncertainties regarding the patterns, driving factors, and effects of climate extremes such as drought, extreme precipitation, and urban heat over the past half-century.

Objective

• To document the historical and ongoing role of remote sensing and Geographic Information Science (GIScience) in assessing and reducing uncertainties associated with the risks of climate extremes (drought, extreme precipitation, and urban heat).

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global/Regional (reviewing applications across various scales relevant to climate extremes)
• Temporal Scale: Multi-decadal (reviewing contributions over more than a half-century)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not applicable; the paper is a review of the application of remote sensing and GIScience techniques and data, rather than a study employing specific models.
• Data sources: Satellite observations, aerial imagery, and other geospatial data derived from remote sensing and Geographic Information Science (GIScience) communities.

Main Results

• Remote sensing and GIScience have been instrumental for over 50 years in revealing important patterns and processes of climate extremes (drought, extreme precipitation, urban heat) and their environmental settings.
• The continuous growth in data availability and processing tools within these fields is essential for addressing increasingly complex global challenges related to climate extremes.
• These scientific disciplines have demonstrably reduced uncertainties concerning the characteristics, drivers, and impacts of various climate extremes.

Contributions

• This article provides a comprehensive synthesis of the long-standing and evolving role of remote sensing and GIScience in understanding and assessing the risks posed by climate extremes. It highlights the cumulative impact of these fields in reducing critical uncertainties over several decades.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Carbone2026Remote,
  author = {Carbone, Gregory J.},
  title = {Remote Sensing’s Role in Assessing the Risks of Climate Extremes},
  journal = {Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.14358/pers.24-00137r2},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.14358/pers.24-00137r2}
}