Simplified SAR Simulation for Remote Sensing Urban Damage Assessment

Abstract eng:
This paper focuses on the feasibility of seismic damage detection in urban areas using Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) product in conjunction with GIS (Geographic Information System). This sensor produces images with 20 m ground resolution in its Single Look Complex (SLC) imagery mode. Considering this, the fine details of the buildings cannot be detected. But, the signatures of the overall building geometry can be detected. The results of SAR simulations serve to better understand the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery in urban settings and also useful in calibrating highly orientation-sensitive (sensor-target) SAR damage detection indices for earthquake prone locations. In this research, the city of Bam that was devastated by the 2003 earthquake, and the district 17 of Tehran that is prone to potential earthquakes are chosen as the study areas for evaluating the methodology. An urban model is proposed for SAR detection that is based on the radar return from right angle reflectors with various heights and orientations, considering a range of sensor-target directions variations. Specifically, a “Wall Model” (or edge model) is evaluated in here and implemented using urban databases. The results show that important building signatures can be modeled in GIS and detected from the remote sensors as a necessary phase in SAR change/damage detection knowledge and calibrations.

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