• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.2_1
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• pp.283-293
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• 2018

We applied PSInSAR to two SAR satellite (ALOS-1 and COSMO-SkyMed) images and analyzed the difference in displacement observation performance according to sensor characteristics. The building layer was extracted from the digital topographic map, and the PS extracted from the SAR image was classified into two groups(building structure and ground surface) for density analysis. The density of PS extracted from the research area was $0.023point/m^2$ for ALOS-1 PALSAR and $0.1point/m^2$ for COSMO-SkyMed, more than 4 times PS was extracted compared to ALOS-1. In addition, not only the PS density in the building, but also the density in the ground were greatly increased. The average displacement velocity of ALOS-1 PALSAR is within ${\pm}1cm/yr$, while for COSMO-SkyMed it is within ${\pm}0.3cm/yr$. Although it is difficult to make quantitative comparisons because it does not use the data for the same period, it can be said that the accuracy of X-band SAR system is very high compared to the L-band. In consideration of PS observation density and observation accuracy of displacement, X-band SAR data is very effective in research where it is important to acquire useful signals from the ground surface, such as ground subsidence and sinkhole.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.559-566
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• 2007

The generation of precise digital elevation model (DEM) is very important in coastal area where time series are especially required. Although a LIDAR system is useful in coastal regions, it is not yet popular in Korea mainly because of its high surveying cost and national security reasons. Recently, precise DEM has been made using radar interferometry and waterline methods. One of these methods, spaceborne imaging radar interferometry has been widely used to measure the topography and deformation of the Earth. We acquired ALOS PALSAR FBD mode (Fine Beam Dual) data for evaluating the quality of interferograms and their coherency. We attempted to construct DEM using ALOS PALSAR pairs - One pair is 2007/05/22 and 2007/08/22, another pair is 2007/08/22 and 2007/10/22 with respective perpendicular baseline of 820 m, 312m and respective height sensitivity of 75 m and 185m at southern of Ganghwa tidal flat, Siwha- and Hwaong-lake over west coastal of Korea peninsula. Ganghwa tidal flat has low coherence between 0.3 and 0.5 of 2007/05/22 and 2007/08/22 pair. However, Siwha-lake and Hwaong-lake areas have a higher coherence value (From 0.7 and 0.9) than Ganghwa tidal area. The reason of difference coherence value is tidal condition between tidal flat area (Ganghwa) and reclaimed zone (Siwha-lake and Hwaong-lake). Therefore, DEM was constructed by ALOS PALSAR pair over Siwha-lake and Hwaong-lake. If the temporal baseline is enough short to maintain the coherent phases and height sensitivity is enough small, we will be able to successfully construct a precise DEM over coastal area. From now on, more ALOS PALSAR data will be needed to construct precise DEM of West Coast of Korea peninsular.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

This paper proposes a new decomposition technique for polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. This new decomposition technique is based on the degree of polarization (DoP) and co-polarized phase-difference (CPD) of the measured polarimetric backscattering coefficients. This decomposition technique is compared with the existing three- and four-component decomposition techniques with the ALOS PALSAR full polarimetric L-band data acquired in 2009. It is shown that the new decomposition technique is better or comparable to the existing techniques for the study areas such as sea, bare soil, forest, and urban area.

• Spatial Information Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2014

Considering the wide coverage, the transparency from climate condition, Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) possesses a great potential for the landcover classification as shown in many precedent researches. In addition to the merits of InSAR products for the landcover classification, the time series analysis of InSAR pairs can provide a highly reliable basis to interpret landcover. We applied such idea with the test site in Mountain Baekdu located on the border between North Korea and China. Since it is recently noted as the potential volcanic activation site, the landcover especially the vegetation distribution information is highly essential to validate the reliability of Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) over Mt. Baekdu. The algorithms combining the auxiliary information from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to analyze the phase coherence and backscatter coefficient of Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) was established. The results using InSAR signatures from two polarization modes of ALOS PALSAR showed high reliability for mining landcover and spatial distribution.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.7-10
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• 2006

Four programs, i.e. TRMM, ADEOS2, ASTER, and ALOS are going on in Japanese Earth Observation programs. TRMM and ASTER are operating well, and TRMM operation will be continued to 2009. ADEOS2 was failed, but AMSR-E on Aqua is operating. ALOS (Advanced Land Observing Satellite) was successfully launched on $24^{th}$ Jan. 2006. ALOS carries three instruments, i.e., PRISM (Panchromatic Remote Sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping), AVNIR-2 (Advanced Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer), and PALSAR (Phased Array L band Synthetic Aperture Radar). PRISM is a 3 line panchromatic push broom scanner with 2.5m IFOV. AVNIR-2 is a 4 channel multi spectral scanner with 10m IFOV. PALSAR is a full polarimetric active phased array SAR. PALSAR has many observation modes including full polarimetric mode and scan SAR mode. After the unfortunate accident of ADEOS2, JAXA still have plans of Earth observation programs. Next generation satellites will be launched in 2008-2012 timeframe. They are GOSAT (Greenhouse Gas Observation Satellite), GCOM-W and GCOM-C (ADEOS-2 follow on), and GPM (Global Precipitation Mission) core satellite. GOSAT will carry 2 instruments, i.e. a green house gas sensor and a cloud/aerosol imager. The main sensor is a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) and covers 0.76 to 15 ${\mu}m$ region with 0.2 to 0.5 $cm^{-1}$ resolution. GPM is a joint project with NASA and will carry two instruments. JAXA will develop DPR (Dual frequency Precipitation Radar) which is a follow on of PR on TRMM. Another project is EarthCare. It is a joint project with ESA and JAXA is going to provide CPR (Cloud Profiling Radar). Discussions on future Earth Observation programs have been started including discussions on ALOS F/O.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.287-295
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• 2010

Water level of the Tonle Sap is largely influenced by the Mekong River. During the wet season, the lacustrine landform and vegetated areas are covered with water. Change detection in this area provides information required for human activities and sustainable development around the Tonle Sap. In order to detect the changes in the Tonle Sap floodplain, fifteen ALOS-PALSAR L-band data acquired from January 2007 to January 2009 and examined in this study. Since L-band is able to penetrate into vegetation cover, it enables us to study the changes according to water level of floodplain developed in the rainforest. Four types of images were constructed and studied include 1) ratio images, 2) correlation coefficient images, 3) texture feature ratio images and 4) multi-color composite images. Change images (in each 46 day interval) extracted from the ratio images, coherence images and texture feature ratio images were formed for detecting land cover change. Two RGB images are also obtained by compositing three images acquired in the early, in the middle and at the end of the rainy season in 2007 and 2008. Combination of the methods results that the change images present the relationship between vegetation and water level, leaf fall forest as well as cultivation and harvest crop.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.6_1
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• pp.969-979
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• 2018

This paper presents reflection symmetry of polarimetric SAR over the Amazon rainforest in terms of correlation coefficients between the pairs of HH- and HV-pol and VV- and VH-pol data by ALOS PALSAR. The reflection symmetry is defined as a non-zero correlation between HH- and HV-pol and VV- and VH-pol over natural distributed targets, and is a fundamental assumption for cross-talk calibration coefficient computation and for three-component decomposition for polarimetric SAR data. The Amazon rainforest is especially one of the common global reference sites for the reflection symmetry. The correlation coefficients for the pairs of reflection symmetry obtained in this study range from 0.018 to 0.097. The results imply that there exists a non-negligible dependency between co-pol and cross-pol in the distributed natural targets, and consequently the non-zero correlation must be considered as a potential contribution to errors of spaceborne SAR polarimetry to some extent.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

This study describes measurements of fast ice recorded on May 23, 2009, in Kongsfjorden (translated as 'Kongs Fjord'), an inlet on the west coast of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard Archipelago. Seasonal fast ice is an important feature for Svalbard fjords, both in relation to their physical environment and also the local ecosystem, since it grows seaward from the coast and remains in place throughout the winter. Ice thickness, snow, ice properties, and wind speed were measured, while SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) data was observed simultaneously observed two times from ALOS-PALSAR (L-band). Measured ice thickness was about 25-35 cm while the thickness of ice floe broken from fast ice was measured as 10-15 cm. Average salinity was 1.9-2.0 ppt during the melting period. Polarimetric data was used to extract H/A/alpha-angle parameters of fast ice, ice floe, snow and glacier, which was classified into 18 classes based on these parameters. It was established that the area of fast ice represents surface scattering which indicates low and medium entropy surface scatters such as Bragg and random surfaces, while fast ice covered with snow belongs to a zone of low entropy surface scattering similar to snow-covered land surfaces. The results of this study will contribute to various interpretations of interrelationships between H/A/alpha parameters and the wave scattering Phenomenon of sea ice.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.38 no.5_1
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• pp.447-460
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• 2022

It is well known that satellite synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) has been widely used for the observation of surface displacement owing to earthquakes, volcanoes, and subsidence very precisely. In wetlands where vegetation exists on the surface of the water, it is possible to create a water level change map with high spatial resolution over a wide area using the InSAR technique. Currently, a number of imaging radar satellites are in operation, and most of them support a ScanSAR mode observation to gather information over a large area at once. The Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM) wetland, located in northern Colombia, is a vast wetland developed along the Caribbean coast. The CGSM wetlands face serious environmental threats from human activities such as reclamation for agricultural uses and residential purposes as well as natural causes such as sea level rise owing to climate change. Various restoration and protection plans have been conducted to conserve these invaluable environments in recognition of the ecological importance of the CGSM wetlands. Monitoring of water level changes in wetland is very important resources to understand the hydrologic characteristics and the in-situ water level gauge stations are usually utilized to measure the water level. Although it can provide very good temporal resolution of water level information, it is limited to fully understand flow pattern owing to its very coarse spatial resolution. In this study, we evaluate the L-band ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 ScanSAR mode to observe the water level change over the wide wetland area using the radar interferometric technique. In order to assess the quality of the interferometric product in the aspect of spatial resolution and coherence, we also utilized ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 stripmap high-resolution mode observations.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.389-397
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• 2013

Recently high spatial resolution space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems have launched and have been operated successfully. Interferometric SAR (InSAR) processing with the space-based high resolution observations acquired by these systems can provide more detail information for various geodetic applications. Coherence is regarded as a critical parameter in the evaluating the quality of an InSAR pair. In this study, we evaluate the coherence characteristics of high-resolution data acquired by TerraSAR-X (X-band) and ALOS PALSAR (L-band) and intermediate-resolution data acquired by Envisat ASAR (C-band) over western Texas, U.S.A. Our coherence analysis reveals that the high-resolution X-band TSX (3.1 cm) data has a high coherence level (0.3-0.6), similar to that of the L-band ALOS PALSAR data (23.5 cm) in short temporal baselines. Further more, the TSX coherence values are significantly higher than those of the C-band (5.6 cm) Envisat ASAR data. The higher coherence of the TSX dataset is a surprising result, because common scattering theories suggest that the longer wavelength SAR data maintain better coherence. In vegetated areas the shorter wavelength radar pulse interacts mostly with upper sections of the vegetation and, hence, does not provide good correlation over time in InSAR pairs. Thus, we suggest that the higher coherence values of the TSX data reflect the data's high-resolution, in which stable and coherent scatters are better maintained. Although, however, the TSX data show a very good coherence with short temporal baseline (11-33 days), the coherences are significantly degraded as the temporal baselines are increased. This result confirms previous studies showing that the coherence has a strong dependency on the temporal baseline.