Special Session 8

SPECIAL SESSION #8

Anselme Muzirafuti

University of Messina, Italy

• anselme.muzirafuti@unime.it

Giovanni Randazzo

University of Messina, Italy

• giovanni.randazzo@unime.it

Stefania Lanza

Geologis s.r.l, Italy

• stefania.lanza@unime.it

Meriame Mohajane

Istituto per le Tecnologie della Costruzione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy

• mohajane@itc.cnr.it

Antonietta Varasano

Istituto per le Tecnologie della Costruzione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy

• varasano@itc.cnr.it

Mohammed El Hafyani

Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech University of Liege, Belgium

• melhafyani@uliege.be

The digital age, which is the time when a large amount of information is available, has revolutionized the way Geomorphology studies are conducted. These studies were traditionally perfomed through field observations or physical experiments to study the origin, devolvement and composition of landforms. However, freely available satellite images make it possible to remotely access physical landscape changes while high-speed internet enables access to online digital maps. The increasing performance of computer systems and sensors has also advanced topographic modelling and geochronological techniques, making it possible to visualize, determine the ages of and make measurements of different landforms. This not only enables scientific studies but also humanitarian activities such as rescue mission planning in mountainous and hard-to-reach environments. With increasing changes in the climate system and growing global environmental concerns, current technological developments help in the acquisition, processing and interpretation of information on the Earth’s surface, and processes the information multi-temporally and very rapidly. These technologies help in understanding the dynamics and impact of human activities on Earth’s landscapes, allowing for better environmental management.

This Special session seeks to collect and promote the latest advances in geomorphology studies related to the mapping and surveying of landforms. We are inviting researchers working on different topics including:

• Photogrammetry-based point-cloud data and orthophoto acquisition and processing;
• LiDAR point-cloud data acquisition and processing;
• Point-cloud dataset processing for geomorphologic studies;
• Digital elevation models (DEMs) for landslide process mapping and survey;
• Photogrammetry and LiDAR technologies for 3D landform modelling;
• Remote sensing satellite imagery for land cover and land use mapping;
• Remote sensing techniques for geomorphological landforms mapping;
• Two- and three-dimensional Earth surface imaging and reconstruction;
• Nature-based solutions for geomorphic coastal hazards;
• New methods and Tools for Geospatial data analysis;
• Aerial photogrammetry for sediment mapping and classification.

Anselme Muzirafuti a Researcher at University of Messina. He has a Degree in Applied Geophysics and Geology Engineering. He has PhD in Hydrogeophysics with a Thesis on Hydrogeophysical Characterization of Karstic Cavities of the Causse d'El Hajeb-Ifrane (Morocco) and Impact on the Vulnerability of Water Resources: Contribution of Structural Geology, Geomatics and Geophysics. He worked on different projects related to geomorphological mapping and surveys using images acquired by satellites and drones. He recently worked as analysist of satellite images in the BESS project (Pocket Beaches management and Remote Monitoring Systems). He is a scientific reviewer and a successful academic Editor with his topics been selected as Hot Featured Editions by the Editorial Office of Applied Sciences Journal published by MDPI. The results of his works have been presented in international conferences and published in international journals.

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3563-9264;
• https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/special_issues/Agriculture;
• https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/special_issues/Future;
• https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/special_issues/Geomorphology;
• https://www.mdpi.com/journal/geosciences/special_issues/novel_research_karst_geomorphology.

Giovanni Randazzo - During these 30 years he collaborated with the Smithsonian Institution of Washington D.C. in the study of the Nile Delta, with the Thai Geological Service in the study of the east coast of the local peninsula; with ENEA he participated in the X Italian expedition in Antarctica. He has also worked in Texas, Mexico, France and Mozambique (as expert of the Italian Foreign Ministry). He was President of the Med Center of the EUCC - The Coastal Union based in Barcelona and he is still component of the board of the same organization.

In 2007/08 he was a free consultant to President of the Sicilian Region, Lombardo, for the protection and enhancement of coastal heritage and coordinated.
He has collaborated in the environmental assessment impact of various public works (especially in the coastal area) and he participated in the drafting of the Territorial Landscape Plan of the Province of Messina. In 2007/08 he was a free consultant to President of the Sicilian Region, Lombardo, for the protection and enhancement of coastal heritage and coordinated. On behalf of the Regional Civil Protection, the Seismic Microzonation Plan for 19 municipalities of the island.

In 2013 he founded GEOLOGIS s.r.l., Spin Off of the University of Messina, active in the field of surveys from aerial and marine drones, using cameras, LiDAR, spectrophotocameras and thermal imaging cameras.
On behalf of the European Union he has coordinated at national level and/or as a local unit several projects related to coastal management (EUROSION, M.E.S.S.I.N.A.) and territorial security (eSec).
Between 2017 and 2020 he has been the lead partner of POCKET BEACH MANAGEMENT & REMOTE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (BESS) project and from 2020 to 2022 has been WP lead partner of Robotic BIOremediation for coastal debris in in BLUE Flag beach (BIOBLU) project, both as part of the Interreg Italy - Malta Program.
He is the author of more than 120 scientific publications.

Stefania Lanza is an administrator of Geologis s.r.l, an Academic Spin-Off of the University of Messina. She has PhD in Geology with a thesis on "The risk assessment of coastal areas: from planning to monitoring". She worked on different projects related to sedimentology and geomorphology mapping. She recently worked as Coordinator of the Geomorphological and Sedimentological Activities of the Project in the context of BESS project "Pocket Beach Management & Remote Surveillance System - Programma Interreg VA Italia Malta 2014 -2020". She is currently working as coordinator of field activities in the context "BIOBLU " project- Robotic Bioremediation for Coastal Debris in Blue Flag Beach and in a Maritime Protected Area "- Interreg V-A Italy - Malta 2014-2020 program". The results of her works have been presented in international conferences and published in international journals.

Dr. Meriame Mohajane is a Postdoctoral researcher at the Construction Technologies Institute of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) , sede di Napoli, Italy. She holed a Ph. D degree in Remote sensing and Environment from University of Moulay Ismail, Morocco in 2021, a Master degree in Environment and Sustainable Development from University of Moulay Ismail, Morocco, an advanced Master course on Managing IoT, Data Analytics and Security (Elis Digital University , Rome – University of Messina, Italy), and a BSc degree in Biology (University of Moulay Ismail, Morocco). She conducted her research studies as a research scientist on the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical remote sensing for change detection at the Earth Observation Satellite Images Applications Laboratory (EOSIAL) of Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. She also involved in researches addressing water quality management and mitigation strategies using data mining models and Machine Learning algorithms with a combination of advanced statistical analysis. Her ongoing research focused on the exploitation of Remote sensing data including hyperspectral data (PRISMA data) and orthophotos images for the development of methods and algorithms based on Deep Learning and Machine Learning data for detection and mapping of Asbestos-cement Roofing within the Project MAAC "Mappatura Amianto Ambiente Costruito". Dr. Meriame Mohajane is the author/ co-author of scientific publications in referred international journals.

Dr. Ing. Antonietta Varasano is a researcher at the Construction Technologies Institute of the Italian National Research Council (ITC-CNR), sede di Bari. Italy. She serves as coordinator scientist for the Project MAAC "Mappatura Amianto Ambiente Costruito" for mapping asbestos-cement Roofing based on Remote sensing data and Deep learning algorithms in the region of Basilicata. In addition, she is a professor of Applied Physics for Architecture at the Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures, University of Basilicata, Matera, Italy.
Her current research interests are Remote sensing (multispectral, Hyperspectral, Radar and SAR ), LiDAR, deep learning , machine learning and WebGIS. She is collaborating with a team of scientists and researchers on various environmental applications, including gully erosion prediction, land use / land cover assessment, and landslide susceptibility mapping. She authored and co-authored scientific publications in international journals. She serves as guest editor of " Sustainability " MDPI journal.

Mohammed El Hafyani is a postdoctoral researcher at the Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech University of Liege. He is working on Hydro-sedimentary monitoring of agricultural catchments and river pollution, in the Wallonia region, Belgium. He has a Ph.D. in Geomatics and Geo-environment from Moulay Ismail University, Morocco. His Ph.D. was on “Contribution of geospatial Tools and modelling to the assessment of water balances, land use changes, and urban dynamics in a context of climate change in Boufakrane river watershed, Morocco”. He worked on different projects related to water resources management, remote sensing, and GIS. The results of his works have been presented at international conferences and published in international journals.