Coastal Almanac and RIVET Small Scale Remote Sensing Analysis
Abstract
This proposal covers a pilot study of establishing a coastal almanac using multi-sensor satellite data and applies algorithms and techniques from the RIVET experiments to extract relevant parameters to describe the local conditions at selected sites. The approach will use historical satellite data over a five year period to establish a good climatology. The project will be carried out over a 24-month period. River inlets and adjacent coastal waters are subject to tidal dynamics and the weather patterns that can include episodic wind forcings and extreme temperature changes leading to possible freezing conditions. As a result of these dynamic variations river inlets and coastal waters respond quickly and over time change significantly creating new shoreline alignments and bathymetric changes due to erosion or accretion. Satellite-based bathymetry retrieval techniques exist for both EO and SAR sensors, where the former requires relatively clear water with known optical properties, a relatively bright, well-defined, and homogeneous bottom, as well as daylight and a cloud-free sky. In contrast, these limitations do not apply to radar-based methods, which can be used at day and night and independent of weather conditions. The radar backscattering mechanism (Bragg scattering) depends on the surface roughness, which is modulated by spatially varying depths. Acquiring a long timeseries of satellite data over several years will help to document these changes such as determining the new location of minimum waterline position and its mean rate of change. It would also allow to make an assessment of the impact of global warming in terms of sea level rise and perhaps predict the expect change over a year’s time. This dataset would be the beginning of establishing a coastal almanac for selected locations of rivers, river mouths and adjacent coastal regions and would include information such as tidal conditions and the locations of the waterline during the time of imaging as well as any notable features (e.g., sandbanks) exposed during low tide conditions and ultimately the rate of change over a five year period. This proposal covers a pilot study of establishing a coastal almanac using multi-sensor satellite data and applies algorithms and techniques from the RIVET experiments to extract relevant parameters to describe the local conditions at selected sites. The approach will use historical satellite data over a five year period to establish a good climatology. The project will be carried out over a 24-month period.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 23, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141612631
Entities
People
- Hans Graber
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Miami