Range resolution of SAR images is determined by transmitted radar signal bandwidth. Most recent SAR sensors use wide band signals in order to achieve metric range resolution, whereas metric azimuth resolution can be achieved in spotlight mode. As an example, ENVISAT ASAR sensor uses a 15-MHz bandwidth chirp whereas TerraSAR-X spotlight mode uses signals having a 150-MHz bandwidth leading to a potentially 10 times higher resolution. One can also take advantage of wide band to split the full band into sub-bands and generate several lower resolution images from a single acquisition, each being centred on slightly different frequencies. These sub-images can then be used in a classical interferometric process to measure inter-band coherence of a given scene. This inter-band coherence reveals scatterers keeping a stable-phase behaviour along with frequency shift. A simple coherence model derived from Zebker model for randomly distributed surface scatterers is proposed. Examples are presented, showing that scatterers can have a behaviour that deviates from the model, leading to a new information channel.
Central Asian mountain regions are prone to multiple types of natural hazards, often causing damage due to the impact of mass movements. In spring 2017, Kyrgyzstan suffered significant losses from a massive landslide activation event, during which also two of the largest deep-seated mass movements of the former mining area of Mailuu-Suu—the Koytash and Tektonik landslides—were reactivated. This study consists of the use of optical and radar satellite data to highlight deformation zones and identify displacements prior to the collapse of Koytash and to the more superficial deformation on Tektonik. Especially for the first one, the comparison of Digital Elevation Models of 2011 and 2017 (respectively, satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery-based) highlights areas of depletion and accumulation, in the scarp and near the toe, respectively. The Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry analysis identified slow displacements during the months preceding the reactivation in April 2017, indicating the long-term sliding activity of Koytash and Tektonik. This was confirmed by the computation of deformation time series, showing a positive velocity anomaly on the upper part of both landslides. Furthermore, the analysis of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index revealed land cover changes associated with the sliding process between June 2016 and October 2017. In addition, in situ data from a local meteorological station highlighted the important contribution of precipitation as a trigger of the collapse. The multidirectional approach used in this study demonstrated the efficiency of applying multiple remote sensing techniques, combined with a meteorological analysis, to identify triggering factors and monitor the activity of landslides.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.