Methodology ยท SAR processing
SAR backscatter - change detection
Detects land-cover or structural change by comparing backscatter intensity across dates; good for flood mapping, deforestation alerts, and disaster damage assessment.
How it works
Single- or dual-pol intensity ratio or log-difference between acquisitions. Cloud-independent; operates day and night. The primary method for rapid flood extent mapping -- InSAR coherence is a complement, not a replacement. [Wikipedia: Synthetic-aperture radar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic-aperture_radar)
Topics this serves
- Deforestation well suited
- Flooding well suited
- Urban change adequate
Existing implementations
Demonstrated
Capable, undemonstrated
None on record.
Related methodologies
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Measures millimetre-scale ground surface displacement by comparing phase differences between repeat SAR passes; good for subsidence, earthquake deformation, and volcanic monitoring.
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Decomposes backscatter into scattering mechanisms (surface, double-bounce, volume) using multi-polarisation data; good for forest structure estimation, urban mapping, and soil moisture retrieval.
Sources
- [wikipedia]Wikipedia: Synthetic-aperture radarcommunityaccessed 2026-05-22
Methodology
Edited from public sources. Last reviewed date pending by SpectraWorks editorial. See the data dictionary for field definitions.