GEOS 657 – MICROWAVE REMOTE SENSING

GRADUATE-LEVEL COURSE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS

Lecturer:
Franz J Meyer, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks; [email protected]

Lecture 1: Introduction to the Course

UAF CourseFranz
GEOS 657
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Let Us Start with some SAR Data
What do you see in this SAR Time Series Dataset?
• SAR Time Series: Deforestation sites in Madre de Dios, Peru

Dates of Detected Change Events

06/2016 07/2019

Franz J Meyer, UAF

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Let Us Start with some SAR Data
What do you see in this SAR Time Series Dataset?

Radar Image Time Series capturing 2020 South Asia monsoon floods

Franz J Meyer, UAF

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Let Us Start with some SAR Data
What do you see in this SAR Time Series Dataset?

Radar Image Time Series capturing 2020 South Asia monsoon floods Surface Water Information extracted from SAR time series

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Let Us Start with some SAR Data
What do you see in this SAR Time Series Dataset?
• InSAR Deformation Data of Kilauea Event in 2019
By David Bekaert, JPL

LOS

50
0
cm

-50
-100

Deformation Time Series Kilauea from Sentinel-1

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MOTIVATION & BACKGROUND

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A Short Introduction About Myself

Until
2007

MSc & PhD in Engineering, Technische TerraSAR-X Team, German

Universitaet Muenchen, Munich Germany Aerospace Center

Professor Chief Scientist

Since
2007 of Remote
Sensing

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK

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Exciting Developments in SAR:
New Sensors, Free-And-Open Regularly-Sampled Data, Application-Ready Data (ARD) Products

Sentinel-1
Frequency:
C-band
Launch Date:
2015 & 16

NISAR
Frequency:
L-band
Launch Date:
Spring 2023

TanDEM-L
Frequency:
L-band
Launch Date: Arctic Sea Ice Export through Nares Strait
TBD
Copyright contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2016–17), processed by David Small

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Radar Systems with Operational Character

• Sentinel-1 (2014 - today): First SAR

satellite system with operational mission
– Regular reliable observation according to
operational requirements
– Imaging all landmasses, coastal zones and
shipping routes every six days
– Specifically designed for InSAR

FREE AND OPEN DATA!

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Radar Systems with Operational Character

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

NISAR (2022):
• Full global coverage with every cycle
• Rapid commanding & rapid data
delivery for hazard monitoring
• Specifically designed for InSAR
FREE AND OPEN DATA!

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An Insight into the Upcoming NISAR mission
Learn more about
NISAR at:
https://nisar.jpl.nasa.gov/

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 # of New Active SAR Users at
the Alaska Satellite Facility

10000
12000
14000

0
2000
4000
6000
8000
Apr-13
Jul-13
Oct-13
Jan-14
Apr-14
Jul-14
Oct-14
Jan-15
Unrestricted access to
The SAR Community is Exploding

Apr-15 ALOS PALSAR data

Jul-15
Oct-15
Distribution of
Jan-16 Sentinel-1 Data begins
Apr-16
Jul-16
Oct-16
Jan-17
Apr-17
Jul-17
Oct-17
Jan-18
Apr-18
Jul-18
Oct-18
Jan-19
Apr-19
Jul-19
Oct-19
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Unprecedented Data Volumes  Huge Potential for Earth Observation
But Require Different Approaches for Data Access and Analysis

ASF SAR DATA ASF SAR DATA ASF SAR DATA

ARCHIVE ARCHIVE ARCHIVE

2014 2019 2025

1PB 10PB ~180PB

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COURSE OUTLINE

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The Workshop Concept

• Outline of the Class (https://radar.community.uaf.edu/syllabus/):

6. Data/Model
1. Microwave

Error Sources
4. Limitations
Interpret
2. The Basics
(Active and (geophysical

5. Advanced
Applications

Integration
(microwave overcoming observation

Concepts
3. Radar
Passive & hazard radar data;
Signals

spectrum; limitations; networks;

systems; applications limitations;
properties; boosting integration
SAR; InSAR; of radar error
advantages) accuracy in models
polarimetry) data) sources

• Introduction to Cloud-based and Python-based SAR data processing:

– No data download and no local compute hardware needed
Opensarlab.asf.alaska.edu
• Full performance lab exercises
 High-performance computing from any internet-connected device
• End-user processing
– Full access to the global Sentinel-1 (now) and NISAR (soon) archive with moderate local
– Use as you need – only download what you need compute & internet
infrastructure
– Jupyter Notebook tools for algorithm development and use

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This is Why Radar Systems Are Important

0% Average Cloud Coverage [%] 100%

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Advantages of Microwave Signals

• Microwaves penetrate clouds and fog

Optical image Composite radar image

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Microwave Scattering Mechanisms

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The Two Types of Microwave Sensors: Passive and Active

Passive Microwave Remote Sensing Active Microwave Remote Sensing

(Radar)

• Illumination provided by sensor

• Measures amount of reflected energy
• Measures only energy emitted by the earth • Amount of reflected energy → information on
• Amount of emitted energy → temperature of roughness and moisture of surface
surface • Additionally measures signal travel time → used
for detecting surface shape and deformation

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An Application of Spaceborne Passive Microwave Sensors

Ice Cover 2004 – 2006 from QuickScat

Data
Courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University.
Data: JPL NASA

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Active Microwave Acquisitions …

… record Amplitude and Phase of the reflected polarized microwave signals

Amplitude forms SAR Phase measures the range Polarization for analyzing
Image to objects on ground surface types

HH HV

VV VH

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Applications of SAR
Change Detection

Sea-Ice Monitoring

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Monitoring Severe Weather Events Using Radar Data

• Area of nearly 1000𝑘𝑚2

regularly observed
• Within hours of data reception
• Production fully automatic

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InSAR can Measure Surface Deformation Related to
Natural Hazards and Resource
+10mm

0mm

-10mm

Managing
Underground Gas
Storage (UGS): Courtesy: A. Ferretti, TRE ALTAMIRA
Vertical surface
displacement of a gas
field related to the Injected / Extracted Gas Volume
injection and
extraction of gas
Time
volumes
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Polarimetric Radar Data can Measure Vegetation
Properties and Changes of Vegetation with Time

Biomass Estimated from SAR

Courtesy: S. Saatchi, JPL

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Limitations of d-InSAR:
Atmospheric Delay

Atmospheric Signals can lead to incorrect interpretation of observations:

Mauna Kea

Is the volcano inflating?

Upcoming eruption?

Mauna Loa

mm

d-InSAR Observations,
Atmospheric Model d-InSAR – Atmospheric Model
Big Island, Hawaii

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Volcanic Deformation on Unimak Island, Alaska
Advanced Processing

Mean Surface Motion: SAR Time Series Analysis

(2003 – 2010)

Isanotski

Deformation Time Series - Fisher Shishaldin

Westdahl

Fisher

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Using d-InSAR in Source Modeling

d-InSAR-based Volcano Source Modeling:

Example: Three Sisters Volcanic Center, Central Oregon

d-InSAR data Best-fitting Model Residuals

Best Fitting Model:

Point-like source
Elastic half-space

Model Parameters:
Source Depth:
5-7 km
Total volume of injected
magma:
0.02 - 0.03 km3

Chuck Wicks, Space Based Geodesy Using InSAR, USGS

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WHAT’S NEW IN THE COURSE

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Technology to Support the Course

Modern Tools to enable big SAR data Tools to Stay in Touch

analysis from (almost) anywhere

https://radar.community.uaf.edu/
https://opensarlab.asf.alaska.edu/
stayconnected/

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Reading Materials

Woodhouse: The SAR

Microwave Handbook
Remote
Download the
Sensing complete book
here!

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 SAR Handbook Materials Have Had Global Reach

Top countries by Handbook

materials accessed:
1. U.S.A. 58,059 SERVIR Amazonia SERVIR
2. Germany 39,138 Mekong
3. India 36,819
4. China 35,074
5. Vietnam 17,426 SERVIR
Hindu Kush Himalaya
Top countries currently covered by SERVIR:

SERVIR
Country SERVIR Region Access
West Africa
1. Vietnam Mekong 17,426
SERVIR
2. Colombia Amazonia 14,214
Eastern and Southern
Kenya E&S Africa 11,426
3.
4. Brazil Amazonia 11,141
Between April 2019 and June 2020 Africa
Nepal HKH 7,626
5.
• Full Handbook and additional materials have been accessed more than
6. Cambodia Mekong 5,581
7. Ecuador Amazonia 5,457 523,818 times
8. Peru Amazonia 5,215
9. Ethiopia E&S Africa 4,519 • Over 179 countries have accessed SAR Handbook and complementary materials
10. Pakistan HKH 2,891
Class Project Information

• Students will complete a class project on SAR

• Wide range of options available
• Some information at radar.community.uaf.edu/classprojectideas/
• Group work for class project is allowed but should be discussed with me
• Several class projects in recent years led to publications

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QUESTIONS?

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