Detecting soil erosion in semi-arid Mediterranean environments using simulated EnMAP data

Abstract Tools that enhance the management of the soil resource are vital for sustainability and continued productivity. The assessment and monitoring of surface-soil condition provide key information required to effectively manage this resource. This research used a simulated Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP) hyperspectral image cube of an agricultural region in semi-arid Mediterranean Spain to classify soil erosion states. Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) was used to derive within-pixel fractions of eroded and accumulated soil states. Soil states (eroded, intermediate, accumulated) were classified with an overall accuracy of 70.3% using the unmixing fraction maps and terrain derivatives. The results generated in this research provided an outlook for the applicability of the future EnMAP sensor for soil erosion investigations in semi-arid Mediterranean environments.