Arctic Shoreline Delineation & Feature Detection Using RADARSAT-1 Interferometry: Case Study Over Alert

• Main Authors: Mattar, Karim E., Gallop, Lloyd
• Other Authors: DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CANADAOTTAWA (ONTARIO)
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Cartography and Aerial Photography; *ARCTIC REGIONS; *SURFACE TRUTH; *FEATURE EXTRACTION; CANADA; SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR; CALIBRATION; TARGET DETECTION; INTERFEROMETERS; FOREIGN REPORTS; COASTLINE DELINEATION; RIVERBED DELINEATION; Arctic; Canada
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA419989; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA419989

Extensive ground truth carried out in and around Alert in 2002 permitting testing the geometric calibration of RADARSAT- 1, optimizing the capability of RADARSAT- 1 interferometry to delineate coastlines and riverbeds in an Arctic environment, and investigating the detection of various targets and features of potential interest. Surveyed comer reflectors helped demonstrate that a ground reference point greatly improves the geometric calibration of RADARSAT-1 images. A new coherence filter was developed specifically optimized for coastline and riverbed delineation. GPS surveyed coastlines, mapped into radar perspective and calibrated using the surveyed comer reflectors, deviated from the coastline delineated using the coherence filter by less than 8 meters on average. Furthermore, assuming low decorrelation effects, coastlines and riverbeds are often clearly visible in the coherence image, potentially lending the delineation process much more readily to automation. However, RADARSAT-1's fine resolution mode proved too coarse to reliably detect roads, three crashed airplanes and various monuments in the area. The original document contains color images. All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white. Abstract and Summary in English and French.