Urban remote sensing in areas of conflict: TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1 change detection in the Middle East

Deodato Tapete; Francesca Cigna

doi:10.1117/12.2241442

12 August 2016 Urban remote sensing in areas of conflict: TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1 change detection in the Middle East

Deodato Tapete, Francesca Cigna

Proceedings Volume 9688, Fourth International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of the Environment (RSCy2016); 968821 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2241442
Event: Fourth International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of the Environment, 2016, Paphos, Cyprus

Abstract

Timely availability of images of suitable spatial resolution, temporal frequency and coverage is currently one of the major technical constraints on the application of satellite SAR remote sensing for the conservation of heritage assets in urban environments that are impacted by human-induced transformation. TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1A, in this regard, are two different models of SAR data provision: very high resolution on-demand imagery with end user-selected acquisition parameters, on one side, and freely accessible GIS-ready products with intended regular temporal coverage, on the other. What this means for change detection analyses in urban areas is demonstrated in this paper via the experiment over Homs, the third largest city of Syria with an history of settlement since 2300 BCE, where the impacts of the recent civil war combine with pre- and post-conflict urban transformation . The potential performance of Sentinel-1A StripMap scenes acquired in an emergency context is simulated via the matching StripMap beam mode offered by TerraSAR-X. Benefits and limitations of the different radar frequency band, spatial resolution and single/multi-channel polarization are discussed, as a proof-of-concept of regular monitoring currently achievable with space-borne SAR in historic urban settings. Urban transformation observed across Homs in 2009, 2014 and 2015 shows the impact of the Syrian conflict on the cityscape and proves that operator-driven interpretation is required to understand the complexity of multiple and overlapping urban changes.

Citation Download Citation

Deodato Tapete and Francesca Cigna "Urban remote sensing in areas of conflict: TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1 change detection in the Middle East", Proc. SPIE 9688, Fourth International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of the Environment (RSCy2016), 968821 (12 August 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2241442

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available