Background
Dr Kirrilly Pfitzner is a research scientist with the ERISS Ecosystem Restoration and Landform program, who specialises in remote sensing. She has a background in environmental science, particularly earth sciences, biology and geography. She is experienced in hyperspectral analysis as well as optical and gamma ray spectrometry data for characterisation of mine sites and other ecological environments. Kirrilly has developed spectral libraries (both laboratory and in situ measurements) for local vegetation and soil and mineral spectra over the 450-2500 nm range. More recently, she spectrally characterised surface magnesium sulfate salt efflorescence around Ranger uranium mine. Kirrilly works on a part time basis.
Areas of expertise and research interests
Remote sensing, hyperspectral, airborne gamma, spectra of minerals, vegetation mapping, spectrometry, geology, mine rehabilitation assessment and monitoring.
Key publications
Pfitzner KS, Harford AJ, Whiteside TG & Bartolo RE 2018. Mapping magnesium sulfate salts from saline mine discharge with airborne hyperspectral data. Science of the Total Environment 640-641, 1259-1271.
Bollhöfer A, Beraldo A, Pfitzner K, Esparon A & Doering C 2014. Determining a pre-mining radiological baseline from historic airborne gamma surveys: A case study. Science of the Total Environment 468-469, 764-773.
Pfitzner K, Bollhöfer A, Carr G, Esparon A & Bartolo R 2011. Standards for reflectance spectral measurement of temporal vegetation plots. Supervising Scientist Report 195, Supervising Scientist, Darwin NT.
Bollhöfer A, Pfitzner K, Ryan B, Martin P, Fawcett M & Jones DR 2008. Airborne gamma survey of the historic Sleisbeck mine area in the Northern Territory, Australia, and its use for site rehabilitation planning. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 99, 1770-1774.
Mitchell, A.L., Lucas, R.M., Donnelly, B.E., Pfitzner, K., Milne, A.K. and Finlayson, M. 2007. A new map of mangroves for Kakadu National Park, Northern Australia, based on stereo aerial photography. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 17, 5: 446-467.
Pfitzner K & Clifton R 2006. Integration of Airborne CASI and Gamma Ray data for mine site characterisation. Journal of Spatial Sciences. 51 (2) (December 2006).
Pfitzner K, Bollhöfer A & Carr G 2006. A standard design for collecting vegetation reference spectra: Implementation and implications for data sharing. Journal of Spatial Sciences. 52 (2), 79-92.
Martin P, Tims S, McGill A, Ryan B & Pfitzner K 2006. Use of airborne g-ray spectrometry for environmental assessment of the rehabilitated Nabarlek uranium mine, northern Australia. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 115, 531-553.
Pfitzner K 2005. Mining and Exploration: Radiation Assessment, Position June/July 2005, 54-47.