ALBERT

Description: Soil processes taking place in the context of erosion and land degradation are highly dependent on the properties of the surface. While the causes and effects of such processes are commonly well understood on a conceptual level, there is a lack of adequate data sources allowing for their quantification at various spatial scales. The main goal of this thesis was to assess the role of state-of-the-art remote sensing methods for the quantification of soil properties with the aim to improve the understanding of surface processes taking place in a degraded landscape. The chosen study area of 4 ha size located in a lignite mine in eastern Germany allowed for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary and multi-temporal analysis of surface properties based on remote sensing, pedological and hydrological measurements. The quantification of surface soil moisture as an important variable for infiltration and runoff processes has been the objective in laboratory and field spectroscopic experiments as well as in airborne hyperspectral measurements. The newly developed Normalized Soil Moisture Index (NSMI) was identified as the most robust quantifier for surface soil moisture in the field. Surface roughness was successfully quantified at high precision in form of novel multiscale indices derived from datasets collected with a stationary laser scanning device. The analysis of spatiotemporal roughness distributions allowed for the detection of distinct patterns that developed under the influence of soil erosion in the field. The thesis developed a set of methods and indices that successfully implement the quantification of surface soil moisture and roughness in the field. For the future, the application of these methods promises further insights into the details of soil erosion processes taking place as well as the collection of invaluable datasets to be used for soil erosion monitoring and modeling campaigns.