The **Argentinian Patagonian coast** presents, [in addition to a very rich biodiversity](https://noticiasambientales.com/ciencia/encontraron-nueva-especie-de-grillo-en-la-patagonia-como-es-el-insecto/), some areas that are very difficult to access due to distances, terrain, or the hostile climate prevailing in the region, which is why **satellite images** are essential.
A clear example of this is the **Interjurisdictional Coastal Marine Park Patagonia Austral (PIMCPA)**, located north of the San Jorge Gulf, with more than 50 islands and islets.
To study a large part of the biodiversity of that area, the grantee from the Center for the Study of Marine Systems (CESIMAR-CONICET), **Magalí Olmedo Masat**, uses techniques of **satellite remote sensing** to obtain information and images of large geographic areas over long periods.
“The idea arose because we wanted to do a project that was close to the area, so we decided to study the PIMCPA. When I partnered with Noela Sánchez Carnero and Daniel Rodríguez Pérez, they offered me to work with remote sensing to monitor this sector of the Park through satellite images,” explains the scientist.
Diverse research areas through satellite images
The project was divided into several areas: one of them is the [study of macroalgae](https://noticiasambientales.com/innovacion/cientificos-de-india-fabrican-un-dispositivo-biofotovoltaico-con-macroalgas/) together with specialist Paula Raffo; another is the research of terrestrial vegetation; and a third, in collaboration with Juan Pablo Pisoni, to study and understand oceanographic processes and analyze how water masses move.
To carry out her project, Olmedo Masat uses images from the **Landsat and Spot satellites**, which have medium resolution and are freely accessible. “For example, the Landsat passes through the area every fifteen days, so every two weeks I have an image of the place, as long as there are no clouds,” clarifies the specialist.
Applications and benefits of remote sensing
Remote sensing has allowed the mapping and classification of **shallow marine waters**, the detection and monitoring of algal forests over long periods, the differentiation between types of **aquatic vegetation**, and the mapping of benthic macroalgae in turbid coastal waters.
“With the development of algorithms, some genera and species of algae can be remotely detected to see if there were arrivals of **toxic species**,” says Olmedo Masat. Additionally, this can be applied to other areas, such as the Golfo Nuevo.
Analysis of oceanographic processes
Magalí Olmedo Masat analyzed a period of five years, using 80 images, from which she identified more than 20 structures in the PIMCPA. She focused on those that are persistent and of medium scale to describe their location and shape in detail, and analyze their dependence on variables such as **tides, wind, bathymetry, and seasonality**.
In her postdoctoral scholarship that began in 2024, the specialist will focus on the satellite remote sensing of **seabird colonies** and pinnipeds on the coast of Chubut.
“We will work with **seals and cormorants**, conducting censuses of their populations during the breeding season. The goal is to find methodologies that allow replication in other locations,” comments Olmedo Masat.
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