Water Quality of Lake Mj{\o}sa through Satellite Images: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Since around 2010, the water quality in lake Mj{\o}sa has begun to decline after an earlier successful effort to improve the water quality (\textit{Mj{\o}saksjonen}). In this study, we investigate the possibility of using satellite imagery to monitor the water quality of lake Mj{\o}sa, and also compare the use of such an approach to current methods for monitoring the lake. Using satellite images for remote sensing has layers of complexity that were not apparent to us at first, and this paper summarizes some of our findings by discussing factors of water quality, state of the art for use of satellite imagery for water quality and some of our own initial results. While our results where not too accurate for this preliminary study, it gives an introduction to the field and some of the methods that may bring better results for further research. Satellite images can play an important role in monitoring changing waters. The field is in development and many factors of water quality may be analysed with increasing levels of accuracy.