Floating marine litter detection algorithms and techniques using optical remote sensing data: A review

Abstract

Floating Marine Litter (FML) are mainly plastics or synthetic polymers that float on the sea surface after being deliberately discarded or unintentionally lost along beaches, rivers or marine environments. In recent years, much focus has been placed on locating, tracking and removing plastic items in both coastal areas and in the open ocean. The use of high-resolution multispectral satellite images for such purpose is very promising, since satellite images can systematically monitor much larger areas in comparison to the traditional in situ observations. This paper contains a literature review of the published research regarding the optical remote detection of floating marine debris and the proposed associated methodologies. The main aim of this review is to compile all available information on detection methodologies, providing at the same time valuable insights into the different approaches used for floating marine litter monitoring. First, a brief introduction into the theoretical basis of a spaceborne floating marine litter detection system is given. Next, published articles, or relevant research work have been compartmentalised, for analysing the proposed procedures and assisting in a further assessment of their methodological frameworks. Lastly, conclusions and bottlenecks of the existing knowledge on marine litter detection from space are derived. Although the remote detection of floating marine litter is currently limited by inherent restrictions of the available satellite sensors specifications, we highlight how the methodological processing chain can significantly affect the future accuracy of plastic detection from space.

Keywords: Marine litter; Remote sensing; Satellites.