About this Research Topic
Plateau mountainous areas, which occupy about one fifth of the Earth’s surface, are not only crucial for the global ecosystem but also home to approximately one tenth of the global population, deeply impacting about half of humanity with their essential goods and services. These regions face significant environmental degradation due to accelerated soil erosion, landslides, and the rapid loss of habitat and genetic diversity. Climate warming aggravates these issues further, enhancing the risk of complex natural hazards such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), avalanches, slope failures, and debris flows, often in cascading chains that compound their impact. This degradation severely threatens future water security, biodiversity, and sustainable development, underscoring a critical need for effective monitoring and management.
This research topic aims to address these challenges by leveraging the recent advancements in remote sensing technology for the systematic monitoring of plateau mountainous areas. While remote sensing has progressed significantly in sensor hardware and data processing algorithms, the unique challenges posed by these high-relief landscapes, such as strong topographic effects, frequent cloud cover, terrain shadowing, and limited ground observations, continue to complicate effective monitoring. Furthermore, the highly dynamic nature of these environments exacerbates these complications, hindering the full potential of remote sensing applications.
To deepen our understanding and enhance the robustness of environmental management strategies in these crucial areas, we welcome contributions to this research topic that explore innovative remote sensing applications, focusing on but not limited to:
• Mountain Hazards Remote Sensing Identification and Monitoring Techniques;
• Quantitative Remote Sensing Retrieval and Modeling in Plateau Mountain Areas;
• Remote Sensing Applications in Plateau Lakes;
• Application of Remote Sensing in High-altitude Agriculture.
This research topic aims to address these challenges by leveraging the recent advancements in remote sensing technology for the systematic monitoring of plateau mountainous areas. While remote sensing has progressed significantly in sensor hardware and data processing algorithms, the unique challenges posed by these high-relief landscapes, such as strong topographic effects, frequent cloud cover, terrain shadowing, and limited ground observations, continue to complicate effective monitoring. Furthermore, the highly dynamic nature of these environments exacerbates these complications, hindering the full potential of remote sensing applications.
To deepen our understanding and enhance the robustness of environmental management strategies in these crucial areas, we welcome contributions to this research topic that explore innovative remote sensing applications, focusing on but not limited to:
• Mountain Hazards Remote Sensing Identification and Monitoring Techniques;
• Quantitative Remote Sensing Retrieval and Modeling in Plateau Mountain Areas;
• Remote Sensing Applications in Plateau Lakes;
• Application of Remote Sensing in High-altitude Agriculture.
Keywords: Plateau Mountain Areas, Remote Sensing Applications, Mountain disaster and hazards monitoring, Plateau Lakes, High-altitude Agriculture
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
