The Widespread Use of Remote Sensing in Asbestos, Vegetation, Oil and Gas, and Geology Applications

Abstract

Remote sensing is the technique of acquiring data from the earth’s surface from sensors installed on satellites or on manned or unmanned aircrafts. Its use is common in dozens of sectors of science and technology, agriculture, atmosphere, soil, water, land surface, oceans and coasts, snow and ice, and natural disasters, among others. This article focuses on an in-depth literature review of some of the most common and promising disciplines, which are asbestos–cement roof identification, vegetation identification, the oil and gas industry, and geology, with the aim of having clarity on the trends in research on these issues at the international level. The most relevant problems in each sector have been highlighted, evidencing the need for future research in the area in light of technological advances in multi- and hyperspectral sensors and the availability of satellite images with more precise spatial resolution. A bibliometric analysis is proposed for each discipline and the network of related keywords is discussed. Finally, the results suggest that policymakers, urban planners, mine, and oil and gas companies should consider remote sensing as primary tool when planning comprehensive development strategies and in field parameter multitemporal analysis.