We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Evaluating indices for use with Sentinel-2 to detect ghost fishing nets
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested whether satellites can spot abandoned "ghost" fishing nets floating in the ocean, these nets are a major source of ocean plastic pollution that breaks down into microplastics, which can work their way into seafood and, ultimately, our diets. By floating a test raft made of real fishing net material off the Scottish coast, researchers found a promising satellite-based detection method (comparing red and near-infrared light signals), which could eventually help track and remove this plastic debris before it fully breaks down in our waters.
This study evaluated the suitability of the multispectral Sentinel-2 satellite data to detect abandoned or lost fishing gear at sea, off the coastline of Scotland. These lost “ghost nets” are often produced using polyamide and/or polypropylene-based plastics, and it is estimated that these comprise 46% of the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”. Current methods of plastic detection and clean-up include passive detection and speculative indirect modelling methods relying on ground observations from coastlines and ocean current surface transport modelling. Satellite remote sensing can provide a more direct method to detect ghost nets, with multispectral platforms differentiating plastic materials apart from natural environments. In this research, a 10m² raft was constructed out of disused polyamide-nylon fishing nets and polypropylene piping collected locally, and floated on the surface in a near-shore environment of North-East Scotland. This was done three times between the 6th and 13th June 2021, and Sentinel-2 acquisitions of the raft were captured in a controlled environment. The image acquisitions were pre-processed using Sen2Cor and ACOLITE to correct for atmospheric interference, as well as Continuum Removal. Multiple plastic detection indices were evaluated, including the Floating Debris Index, Plastic Index, and novel Band Ratio/Depth/Peak Indices. Clear identification of plastic netting between background samples was difficult, however spectral comparison between representative samples showed differences that could be used as identifiers for plastic netting detection. The novel Band Ratio Index using Red and Near-Infrared Spectral Bands provided better results of detection on the Scottish coastal environment against representative samples. This zip file contains the originally sourced spectral analysis data, the Sentinel-2 aqcuisition images (produced and provided by ESA), as well as the spatial data, spectral processing in ENVI and ACOLITE softwares, and additional notes on the workflow to produce it.
More Papers Like This
Evaluating indices for use with Sentinel-2 to detect ghost fishing nets
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested whether satellites can spot "ghost nets", lost fishing gear that drifts in the ocean, breaking down into the microplastics that end up in seafood and drinking water. They floated a test raft of old fishing nets off the Scottish coast and used satellite images to try to detect it, finding that a specific method (comparing red and near-infrared light) worked best, though picking plastic out from the natural background was still tricky. This matters because better satellite tracking could help clean up ocean plastic before it breaks down into the tiny particles now showing up in our food and bodies.
Investigating Detection of Floating Plastic Litter from Space Using Sentinel-2 Imagery
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested whether Sentinel-2 satellite imagery could detect floating plastic debris on the ocean surface, using a 3 by 10 meter plastic bottle target deployed off Cyprus. A newly developed Plastic Index proved more effective than existing indices at identifying the target, offering a promising tool for large-scale ocean plastic monitoring from space.
Finding Plastic Patches in Coastal Waters using Optical Satellite Data
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers demonstrated for the first time that floating macroplastic patches can be detected in optical data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 satellites, validating detections against ground-truth observations and identifying characteristics that distinguish plastic from other floating material.
Detection and Dynamic Imaging of Ocean Microplastics from Space
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a remote sensing approach using satellite imagery to detect and dynamically image ocean microplastic concentrations, offering broader spatial coverage than traditional net trawling methods. This study demonstrates that optical signatures of floating plastic patches can be identified from space under certain sea and lighting conditions.
Exploring plastic detectability on riverbanks using remote sensing.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested plastic detectability on Dutch riverbanks using sensors ranging from handheld spectrometers to satellites, finding that Sentinel-2 imagery successfully detected large white polyester sheets (≥1×30 m) using a new spectral index, but transparent PET bottle targets remained undetected — establishing proof of concept while highlighting resolution and concentration limits for satellite-based plastic monitoring.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.