Urban dynamic change detection using interferometric SAR in Southeast China

Synthetic aperture radar is the only instrument that can provide consistent remote sensing data for south China with persistent cloud cover and rain. In this paper, the potential of multi-temporal ERS and ENVISAT-1 SAR data for land cover/land use classification and urban change detection was investigated at a test area in Fuzhou city, the capital of Fujian province in southeastern China. Both SAR backscatter intensity characteristics and interferometric data were analyzed. A parcel-based approach has been implemented to overcome the limitations and weaknesses of traditional image processing methods for feature extraction from gray images. Two methods were carried out in the urban dynamics change detection: one was post-classification comparison, and the other one was multi-temporal image ratioing. The results from both classification and urban change detection were validated by field survey data and showed promising application of ESA SAR data in southeastern China, where clouds and rains persist.