Radar observations of basaltic lava flows,Craters of the Moon,Idaho

Abstract

Radar images were assessed to determine the backscatter characteristics of basaltic lava flows of predominantly pahoehoe textures and the ability to detect fissure vents. The images were obtained from synthetic aperture side-looking airborne radar systems—X-band HH, X-band HV, L-band HH and L-band H V. Smooth, collapsed blisters of shelly pahoehoe have weak returns in all four radar images. These returns are identical to those from pahoehoe surfaces covered with smooth mantles of windblown sediments. Hummocky pahoehoe flows have strong backscatter in all four images, most likely due to the large range in surface roughness causing multiple scattering at both radar wavelengths. Aa lava flows show the greatest variation in backscatter intensities—strong XHH, weak XHV, strong LHH and very strong LHV returns. This variation is due to an increase in multiple scattering at the L-band scale. Although smooth and rough surface textures can be differentiated in the radar images, there are constraints in tracing textural changes back to a particular fissure vent, in part because near-vent flows do not have unique radar signatures. Eruptive fissures are detectable in the radar images by virtue of associated parallel spatter ramparts which have diagnostic, strong backscatter in the X-band images that are in contrast to the weak backscatter of the surrounding shelly pahoehoe lava. However, spatter ramparts are not delineated in the L-band images. The centimetre-scale relief of the agglutinate spatter may cause scattering of the X-band energy more than the L-band energy. Although the structures are several metres high, the look directions for both imaging systems are approximately parallel to the trend of the ramparts. The rampart walls do not serve as reflectors. Such findings emphasize the importance of look direction in the use of radar images to characterize terrains.     

Calculations of radar backscattering coefficient of vegetation-covered soils

A model for simulating the measured radar backscattering coefficient of vegetation-covered soil surfaces is presented in this study. The model consists of two parts: the first is a soil surface model to describe the backscattered radar pulses from a rough soil surface, and the second part takes into account the effect of vegetation cover. The soil surface is characterized by two parameters, the surface height standard deviation σ and the horizontal correlation length l. The effect of vegetation canopy scattering is incorporated into the model by making the radar pulse subject to two-way attenuation and volume scattering when it passes through the vegetation layer. These processes are characterized by the two parameters, the canopy optical thickness τ and the volume scattering factor η. The model results agree well with the measured angular distributions of the radar backscattering coefficient for HH polarization at the 1.6 GHz and 4.75 GHz frequencies over grass-covered fields. These observations were made from an aircraft platform during six flights over a grass watershed in Oklahoma. It was found that the coherent scattering from soil surfaces is very important at angles near nadir, while the vegetation volume scattering is dominant at larger incident angles (> 30°). The results show that least-squares fits to scatterometer data can provide reliable estimates of the surface roughness parameters, particularly the surface height standard deviation σ. The range of values for σ for the six flights is consistent with a 2 or 3 dB uncertainty in the magnitude of the radar response.     

Facet-based simulator for bistatic scattering of the maritime scene with electrically large ships: Slope Summation Facet Model

This article developed a bistatic facetized sea scattering model, in which the sea surface is envisaged as a profile that is locally approximated by planar facets. The radar return from each local facet is associated to a so-called semi-deterministic scheme, which is established by combining the geometric optics limit of the Kirchhoff approximation with the Bragg components of the Bass–Fuks' two-scale model. In order to evaluate the complex reflective function of the facetized sea surface, a Slope Summation Facet Model is presented by simply associating the facet phase with its relative path delay. Significant computational efficiency and good agreement with experimental data are observed, which make the proposed facet model well suited for application to fast estimation on sea scattering, as well as further simulations on synthetic aperture radar imagery and the composite pattern of ship–sea scattering.     

Application of a three-component scattering model over snow-covered first-year sea ice using polarimetric C-band SAR data

In this study we examine the utility of a three-component scattering model to quantify the sensitivity of radar incidence angle over snow-covered landfast first-year sea ice (FYI) during the late winter season. This three-component scattering model is based on (1) surface scattering contributed from the snow-covered FYI (smooth-ice (SI), rough-ice (RI), and deformed-ice (DI) types); (2) volume scattering contributed from snow layers which consist of enlarged snow grains, elevated brine volume, and preferential orientation of snow grains relative to radar look direction, as well as the underlying sea ice; and (3) double-bounce scattering contributed from ice ridges and ice fragments. This study uses RADARSAT-2 C-band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (POLSAR) data acquired on 15 and 18 May 2009 for Hudson Bay, near Churchill, during late winter with surface air temperatures ≤?8°C at two different incidence angles (29° and 39°). The three-component scattering model is used to discriminate between snow-covered smooth, rough, and deformed FYI. The model shows enhanced discrimination at an incidence angle of 29°, compared with an incidence angle of 39°. The model is then used to quantify the sensitivity of radar incidence angle to each of the three scattering contributors. The results show that the relative fraction of surface scattering dominates for all three FYI types (SI ≈ 77.3%; RI ≈ 66.0%; and DI ≈ 61.1%) at 29° and decreases with increasing incidence angle and surface roughness. Volume scattering is found to be the second dominant mechanism (SI ≈ 19.1%, RI ≈ 32.2%, and DI ≈ 37.4% at 29° and SI ≈ 28.3%, RI ≈ 41.0%, and DI ≈ 49.5% at 39°) over snow-covered FYI and it increases with incidence angle and surface roughness. The double-bounce scattering contribution is low for all FYI types at both incidence angles.     

Post-emplacement lava subsidence and the accuracy of ERS InSAR digital elevation models of volcanoes

Repeat-pass synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) using data acquired by the ERS platforms is an attractive method for acquiring topographic data of volcanoes. Caution is advised, however, when using this technique in regions covered by young, thick lava flows. In this study, the magnitude of post-emplacement subsidence associated with the 1991-93 lava flow at Mount Etna, Sicily, was measured using differential radar interferometric techniques, and it was found that the rates of subsidence are large enough to contribute a significant component to the measured phase shift, even in ERS data acquired on consecutive orbits. It demonstrates the detrimental effect that such phase shifts have on the accuracy of digital elevation models derived by repeat-pass radar interferometry.     

A Light Scattering Model for Layered Dielectrics with Rough Surface Boundaries

A new model for the scattering of light from layered dielectrics with rough surface boundaries is introduced. The model contains a surface scattering component together with a subsurface scattering component. The former component corresponds to the roughness on the upper surface boundary and is modeled using the modified Beckmann model. The latter component accounts for both refraction due to Fresnel transmission through the layer and rough scattering at the lower layer boundary. One interesting consequence of the model is that the peak radiance is deflected away from the specular direction, a behavior that is also evident in BRDF data from human skin. By allowing independent roughness parameters for each surface boundary and controlling the contributions from the two scattering components in the outgoing radiance using a balance parameter, we can achieve excellent fits of the model to the measured BRDF data. We experiment with BRDF data from skin surface samples (human volunteers) and show that the new model outperforms alternative variants of the Beckmann model and the Lafortune et al. reflectance model. As an application in computer graphics, we also show that realistic images of 3D surfaces can be generated using the new model, by setting the values of its physical parameters.     

Sensitivity of bistatic scattering to soil moisture and surface roughness of bare soils

The sensitivity of bistatic scattering coefficient σ° to soil moisture content (SMC) and surface roughness was investigated by means of model simulations of the incoherent scattered fields performed with the advanced integral equation model (AIEM) and the second order small perturbation model (SPM). The study was performed by simulating scattering on the whole upper half space, for different values of incident angles. The achieved results, represented as maps of σ° as a function of azimuth and zenith angles, were evaluated by means of a quality index which takes into consideration the effect of roughness on SMC measurement. The sensitivity analysis has pointed out that for measuring SMC a bistatic observation, by itself or combined with the monostatic one, can make appreciable improvements with respect to classical monostatic radar. Appendix A contains the AIEM formulas corrected for several typographical errors present in the specific literature.     

Mapping surface roughness and soil moisture using multi-angle radar imagery without ancillary data

The Integral Equation Model (IEM) is the most widely-used, physically based radar backscatter model for sparsely vegetated landscapes. In general, IEM quantifies the magnitude of backscattering as a function of moisture content and surface roughness, which are unknown, and the known radar configurations. Estimating surface roughness or soil moisture by solving the IEM with two unknowns is a classic example of under-determination and is at the core of the problems associated with the use of radar imagery coupled with IEM-like models. This study offers a solution strategy to this problem by the use of multi-angle radar images, and thus provides estimates of roughness and soil moisture without the use of ancillary field data. Results showed that radar images can provide estimates of surface soil moisture at the watershed scale with good accuracy. Results at the field scale were less accurate, likely due to the influence of image speckle. Results also showed that subsurface roughness caused by rock fragments in the study sites caused error in conventional applications of IEM based on field measurements, but was minimized by using the multi-angle approach.     

Preliminary analyses of SIR-B radar data for recent Hawaii lava flows

The Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-B) experiment acquired two L-band (23 cm wavelength) radar images (at about 28° and 48° incidence angles) over the Kilauea Volcano area of southeastern Hawaii. Geologic analysis of these data indicates that, although as lava flows and pyroclastic deposits can be discriminated, pahoehoe lava flows are not readily distinguished from surrounding low return materials. Preliminary analysis of data extracted from isolated flows indicates that flow type (i.e., as or pahoehoe) and relative age can be determined from their basic statistics and illumination angle.     

Validation of backscatter models for level and deformed sea-ice in ERS-l SAR images

Backscatter models for level and deformed ice are evaluated based on in situ measurements of Baltic sea-ice and the resuhs are compared with coincident ERS-I Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. A two-layer scattering model is used for level ice with a dry snow cover. The resuhs show that ice surface scattering dominates in the pack ice, while scattering from the ice-water interface and ice volume scattering are important in the fast ice where the salinity is very low. For deformed ice which consists of large ice blocks, a two-component model is formulated and shown to be independent of the block size distribution. By evaluating the model based on in situ data it is concluded that specular reflections dominate, whereas the small-scale roughness is of less importance. An approach for data inversion is also described, which estimates the ice surface roughness from ERS-l SAR images during dry snow conditions.     

适用于不同频率的微波海面散射计算方法

根据微波海面散射及风场实测数据库发展起来的若干算法，如ＳＡＳＳ－１、ＲＡＤＳＣＡＴ〔４〕、ＣＭＯＤ等，基本由相应实测数据统计处理而成，因而受所使用微波器自身的工作频率所限，这些算法应用于不同频率的实测数据时，误差相当大。算法对微波器频率的依赖性限制了自身的应用范围。在对频率从０．４２８～３４．４ＧＨｚ范围的五组海面散射数据分析基础上，提出一个风生短波谱形式及散射系数算法。用此算法与不同频率的海面散射实测数据进行了比较，均获得满意的结果     

A model comparison study to the imaging of submarine reefs with synthetic aperture radar

Signatures of submarine reefs near Heligoland in the North Sea were observed in airborne radar images recorded at L-, C- and X-bands on 14 November 1990 during rather high wind speed of 9 ms^-1. Predictions from various models of the imaging mechanism were compared to these observations. One of the models is the so-called weak hydrodynamic interaction theory (WHIT) model. It is fully two-dimensional in position as well as wavenumber space, so any surface current variation can be handled. Also more sophisticated scattering models than first-order Bragg scattering can be included. The model contains a number of parameterizations for the roughness length, the equilibrium wave height spectrum and the relaxation rate as well as different forms for the local relaxation source term. In the model intercomparison, the WHIT model performed not very well. It is shown here that this is due to the choice of the radial relaxation rate. In a sensitivity analysis it is shown that also the form of the relaxation source term is important. A linear source term may lead to unrealistically high positive hydrodynamic modulations (up to 50 dB) at some positions over the reefs for waves with a wavelength of about 0.6 m. Such effects do not occur in quadratic or cubic source terms, which are therefore to be preferred. The parameterizations chosen for the roughness length and the angular relaxation rate have little influence on the model results. Also shoaling may be neglected. A scattering model based on first iteration of the Stratton-Chu equation gives results similar to that of an improved two-scale model. When compared to the observations, good agreement is obtained at L-band, but at C- and X-bands the model underestimates the modulations. A number of possible causes is discussed, but additional data are needed to settle this question.     

Temporal and spatial soil moisture change pattern detection in an agricultural area using multi‐temporal Radarsat ScanSAR data

Monitoring the characteristics of spatially and temporally distributed soil moisture is important to the study of hydrology and climatology for understanding and calculating the surface water balance. The major difficulties in retrieving soil moisture with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) measurements are due to the effects of surface roughness and vegetation cover. In this study we demonstrate a technique to estimate the relative soil moisture change by using multi‐temporal C band HH polarized Radarsat ScanSAR data. This technique includes two components. The first is to minimize the effects of surface roughness by using two microwave radar measurements with different incidence angles for estimation of the relative soil moisture change defined as the ratio between two soil volumetric moistures. This was done by the development of a semi‐empirical backscattering model using a database that simulated the Advanced Integral Equation Model for a wide range of soil moisture and surface roughness conditions to characterize the surface roughness effects at different incidence angles. The second is to reduce the effects of vegetation cover on radar measurements by using a semi‐empirical vegetation model and the measurements obtained from the optical sensors (Landsat TM and AVHRR). The vegetation correction was performed based on a first‐order semi‐empirical backscattering vegetation model with the vegetation water content information obtained from the optical sensors as the input. For the validation of this newly developed technique, we compared experimental data obtained from the Southern Great Plain Soil Moisture Experiment in 1997 (SGP97) with our estimations. Comparison with the ground soil moisture measurements showed a good agreement for predication of the relative soil moisture change, in terms of ratio, with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 1.14. The spatially distributed maps of the relative soil moisture change derived from Radarsat data were also compared with those derived from the airborne passive microwave radiometer ESTAR. The maps of the spatial characteristics of the relative soil moisture change showed comparable results.     

Investigation of surface roughness effects on fluid flow in passive micromixer

Surface roughness effects are dominant at microscale. In this study, microchannels are fabricated on Silicon substrate. The roughness morphology is modeled for the fabricated structure using Weierstrass-Mandelbrot function for self-similar fractals. A two dimensional model of hexagonal passive micromixer is analyzed with surface roughness present on inner walls of channels using parallel Lattice Boltzmann method, implemented on sixteen node cluster. The results are compared by simulating this micromixer structure using Navier–Stokes equations. The experimental results on the fabricated micromixers are also presented. The effects of relative roughness, fractal dimension and Reynolds number are discussed on laminar flow in hexagonal passive micromixers. The study concludes the importance of modeling surface roughness effect for better mixing efficiency.     

Numerical analysis on electroosmotic flows in a microchannel with rectangle-waved surface roughness using the Poisson–Nernst–Planck model

The present study has numerically investigated two-dimensional electroosmotic flows in a microchannel with dielectric walls of rectangle-waved surface roughness to understand the roughness effect. For the study, numerical simulations are performed by employing the Nernst–Planck equation for the ionic species and the Poisson equation for the electric potential, together with the traditional Navier–Stokes equation. Results show that the steady electroosmotic flow and ionic-species transport in a microscale channel are well predicted by the Poisson–Nernst–Planck model and depend significantly on the shape of surface roughness such as the amplitude and periodic length of wall wave. It is found that the fluid flows along the surface of waved wall without involving any flow separation because of the very strong normal component of EDL (electric double layer) electric field. The flow rate decreases exponentially with the amplitude of wall wave, whereas it increases linearly with the periodic length. It is mainly due to the fact that the external electric-potential distribution plays a crucial role in driving the electroosmotic flow through a microscale channel with surface roughness. Finally, the present results using the Poisson–Nernst–Planck model are compared with those using the traditional Poisson–Boltzmann model which may be valid in these scales.     

Quality of TOPSAR topographic data for volcanology studies at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii: An assessment using airborne lidar data

We use airborne lidar data for the summit area of Kilauea Caldera, Hawaii, to explore the utility of topographic data collected by the TOPSAR airborne interferometric radar for volcanology studies. The lidar data are processed to a spatial resolution of 1 m/pixel, compared to TOPSAR with a spatial resolution of 5 m. Over a variety of fresh volcanic surfaces (pahoehoe and aa lava flows, ash falls and fluvial fans), TOPSAR data are shown to have a typical vertical offset compared to the lidar data of no more than ∼2-3 m. Larger differences between the two data sets and TOPSAR data drop-outs are found to be concentrated around steep scarps such as the walls of pit craters and ground cracks associated with the Southwest Rift Zone. A comparison of these two data sets is used to explore the utility of TOPSAR to interpret the topography of volcanic features close to the spatial resolution of TOPSAR, such as spatter ramparts, fractures, a perched lava flow, and eroded ash deposits. Comparison of the TOPSAR elevation and the lidar first-return minus the return from the ground surface (the so-called “bald Earth” data) for vegetated areas reveals TOPSAR penetration into the tree canopy is typically at least 10% and no more than ∼50%, although a wide range of penetration values from 0% to 90% has been identified. Our results are significant because they show that TOPSAR data for volcanoes can reliably be used to measure regional slopes and the thickness of lava flows, and have value for the validation of coarser spatial resolution digital elevation data (such as SRTM) in areas where lidar data have not been collected.     

宽带雷达动态目标建模及仿真研究

对复杂动态目标进行回波建模是研究目标散射特性，实现雷达跟踪识别动态目标的重要基础。该文利用宽带雷达的高分辨特性，分析了宽带信号照射到运动点目标上的回波信号形式，根据高频区目标总的电磁散射是多散射中心的合成的原理，得出了宽带雷达动态复杂目标的回波模型，并针对冲击雷达信号运用该模型进行回波仿真，获得给定目标在平动及转动情况下的回波仿真信号。仿真结果较好地反映出目标特征，为进一步进行雷达目标的识别提供了理论分析依据。     

Lava flow thermal analysis using three infrared bands of remote-sensing imagery: A study case from Mount Etna 2001 eruption

Infrared remotely sensed data can be used to estimate heat flux and thermal features of active volcanoes. The model proposed by Crisp and Baloga [Crisp, J., Baloga, S., 1990. A model for lava flows with two thermal components, Journal of Geophysical Research, 95, 1255-1270.] for active lava flows considers the thermal flux a function of the fractional area of two thermally distinct radiant surfaces. The larger surface area corresponds to the cooler crust of the flow, the smaller one to fractures in the crust. In this model, the crust temperature T_c, the temperature of the cracks T_h, and the fractional area of the hottest component f_h represent the three unknowns to work out. The simultaneous solution of the Planck equation (“dual-band” technique) for two distinct shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands allows to estimate any two of the parameters T_c, T_h, f_h, if the third is assumed [Dozier, J., 1981. A method for satellite identification of surface temperature fields of subpixel resolution. Remote Sensing Environment, 11, 221-229.]The airborne sensor MIVIS was flown on Mount Etna during the July-August 2001 eruption. This hyperspectral imaging spectrometer offers 72 bands in the SWIR range and 10 bands in thermal infrared (TIR) region of the spectrum, which can be used to solve the dual-band system without any assumptions. Therefore, we can combine three spectral MIVIS bands to obtain simultaneous solutions for the three unknowns. Here, the procedure for solving such a system is presented. It is then demonstrated that a TIR channel is required to better pinpoint solutions to the 2-components model.Finally, the spatial and statistical characteristic of the resultant MIVIS-derived temperature and flux distributions are introduced and statistics for each hot spot investigated.     

Multi‐frequency scatterometer measurements on water surfaces agitated by artificial and natural rain

Images of rain events over the ocean acquired by a multi‐frequency/multi‐polarization Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) show different radar contrasts at different frequencies and polarizations. In order to better understand these effects, field and laboratory experiments were performed at different rain rates and wind speeds with scatterometers working at different radar frequencies, polarizations, and incidence angles. Our results show that the dominant scattering mechanism on a rain‐roughened water surface, observed at VV polarization, at all incidence angles is Bragg scattering from ring waves. At HH polarization the radar backscatter is caused by both ring waves and non‐propagating splash products, with the dominating effect depending on incidence angle. The reduction and enhancement of the surface roughness by ring waves and sub‐surface phenomena, respectively, result in a transition wavenumber between reduction of the radar backscattering and its enhancement of about 100 rad m^?1. We assume that this transition wavenumber depends on the drop‐size distribution of the rain. Taking into consideration the different dependencies of the radar backscatter at different frequencies and polarizations on rain rate, we suggest a method to estimate rain rates by calculating the ratio of the radar cross‐sections at L band, VV polarization and at C band, HV polarization. Provided an availability of SAR data at the respective frequency–polarization combinations, this method allows for investigating the nature of small‐scale (convective) rain events over the ocean.