• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.26-67
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• 2020

Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR) is able to photograph the earth's surface regardless of weather conditions, day and night. Because of its possibility to search for hydrological factors such as soil moisture and groundwater, and its importance is gradually increasing in the field of water resources. SAR began to be mounted on satellites in the 1970s, and about 15 or more satellites were launched as of 2020, which around 10 satellites will be launched within the next 5 years. Recently, various types of SAR technologies such as enhancement of observation width and resolution, multiple polarization and multiple frequencies, and diversification of observation angles were being developed and utilized. In this paper, a brief history of the SAR system, as well as studies for estimating soil moisture and hydrological components were investigated. Up to now hydrological components that can be estimated using SAR satellites include soil moisture, subsurface groundwater discharge, precipitation, snow cover area, leaf area index(LAI), and normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI) and among them, soil moisture is being studied in 17 countries in South Korea, North America, Europe, and India by using the physical model, the IEM(Integral Equation Model) and the artificial intelligence-based ANN(Artificial Neural Network). RADARSAT-1, ENVISAT, ASAR, and ERS-1/2 were the most widely used satellite, but the operation has ended, and utilization of RADARSAT-2, Sentinel-1, and SMAP, which are currently in operation, is gradually increasing. Since Korea is developing a medium-sized satellite for water resources and water disasters equipped with C-band SAR with the goal of launching in 2025, various hydrological components estimation researches using SAR are expected to be active.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.205-214
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• 2015

In this study, a novel land-cover classification framework for multi-temporal SAR data is presented that can combine multiple features extracted through data transforms and multiple classifiers. At first, data transforms using principle component analysis (PCA) and 3D wavelet transform are applied to multi-temporal SAR dataset for extracting new features which were different from original dataset. Then, three different classifiers including maximum likelihood classifier (MLC), neural network (NN) and support vector machine (SVM) are applied to three different dataset including data transform based features and original backscattering coefficients, and as a result, the diverse preliminary classification results are generated. These results are combined via a majority voting rule to generate a final classification result. From an experiment with a multi-temporal ENVISAT ASAR dataset, every preliminary classification result showed very different classification accuracy according to the used feature and classifier. The final classification result combining nine preliminary classification results showed the best classification accuracy because each preliminary classification result provided complementary information on land-covers. The improvement of classification accuracy in this study was mainly attributed to the diversity from combining not only different features based on data transforms, but also different classifiers. Therefore, the land-cover classification framework presented in this study would be effectively applied to the classification of multi-temporal SAR data and also be extended to multi-sensor remote sensing data fusion.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.543-553
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• 2011

Sea ice concentration calculated from the AMSR-E onboard Aqua satellite by using NASA Team2 sea ice algorithm has proven to be very accurate over sea ice in Antarctic Ocean. When glacial ice such as icebergs and ice shelves are dominant in an AMSR-E footprint, the accuracy of the ice concentration calculated from NASA Team2 algorithm is not well maintained due to the different microwave characteristics of the glacial ice from sea ice. We extracted the concentrations of sea ice and glacial ice from two ENVISAT ASAR images of George V coast in southern Antarctica, and compared them with NASA Team2 sea ice concentration. The result showed that the NASA Team2 algorithm underestimates the concentration of glacial ice. To interpret the large deviation of estimation over glacial ice, we analyzed the characteristics of microwave radiation of the glacial ice in PR(polarization ratio), GR(spectral gradient ratio), $PR_R$(rotated PR), and ${\Delta}GR$ domain. We found that glacial ice occupies a unique region in the PR, GR, $PR_R$, and ${\Delta}GR$ domain different from other types of ice such as ice type A, B, and C, and open water. This implies that glacial ice can be added as a new category of ice to the AMSR-E NASA Team2 sea ice algorithm.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2008

We present an efficient and robust technique to estimate the velocity of moving targets from a single SAR image. In SAR images, azimuth image shift is a well blown phenomenon, which is observed in moving targets having slant-range velocity. Most methods estimated the velocity of moving targets from the distance difference between the road and moving targets or between ship and the ship wake. However, the methods could not be always applied to moving targets because it is difficult to find the road and the ship wake. We propose a method for estimating the velocity of moving targets from azimuth differentials of range-compressed image. This method is based on a phenomenon that Doppler center frequency shift of moving target causes a phase difference in azimuth differential values. The phase difference is linearly distorted by Doppler rate due to the geometry of SAR image. The linear distortion is eliminated from phase removal procedure, and then the constant phase difference is estimated. Finally, range velocity estimates for moving targets are retrieved from the constant phase difference. This technique was tested using an ENVISAT ASAR image in which several unknown ships are presented. In the case of a isolated target, the result was nearly coincident with the result from conventional method. However, in the case of a target which is located near non-target material, the difference of the result between from our algorithm and from conventional method was more than 1m/s.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.390-393
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• 2006

It is well known that synthetic aperture radar (SAR) provides information on ocean winds and surface waves. SAR data are of particularly high value in extreme weather conditions, as radar is able to penetrate the clouds providing information on different ocean surface processes. In this presentation some recent results on SAR observation of extreme wind and ocean wave conditions is summarised. Particular emphasize is put on the investigation of typhoons and extratropical cyclones in the North Pacific. The study is based on the use of ENVISAT ASAR wide swath images. Wide swath and scansar data are well suited for a detailed investigation of cyclones. Several examples like, e.g., typhoon Talim will be presented, demonstrating that these data provide valuable information on the two dimensional structure of the both the wind and the ocean wave field. Comparisons of the SAR observation with parametric and numerical model data will be discussed. Some limitations of standard imaging models like, e.g., CMOD5 for the use in extreme wind conditions are explained and modifications are proposed. Finally the study summarizes the capabilities of new high resolution TerraSAR-X mission to be launched in October 2006 with respect to the monitoring of extreme weather conditions. The mission will provide a spatialresolution up to 1m and has full polarimetric capabilities.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.368-368
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• 2008

Oil spills are a principal factor of the ocean pollution. The complicated problems involved in detecting oil spills are usually due to varying wind and sea surface condition such as ocean wave and current. The Hebei Spirit accident was happened in the west sea ($36^{\circ}$41'04" N, $126^{\circ}$03'12" E) near about 8 km distant from Tae-An, Korea on December 7, 2007. The aim of this work is to improve the detection and classification performance in order to define a more accurate training set and identifying the feature of oil spill region. This paper deals with an optimization technique for the detection and classification scheme using multi-frequency and multi-polarization SAR and optical image data sets of the oil spilled sea. The used image data are the ENVISAT ASAR WS and Radarsat-1 of C-band and ALOS PALSAR of L-band SAR data and KOMPSAT-2 optical images together with meteorological or oceanographic data. Both the theory and the experimental results obtained are discussed.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.625-628
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• 2007

We present an efficient and robust technique to estimate the velocity of moving targets from a single SAR image. In SAR images, azimuth image shift is a well known phenomenon, which is observed in moving targets having slant-range velocity. Most methods estimated the velocity of moving targets from the distance difference between the road and moving targets or between ship and the ship wake. However, the methods could not be always applied to moving targets because it is difficult to find the road and the ship wake. We adopted a method estimating the velocity of moving targets from azimuth differentials of range-compressed image. This method is based on an assumption that Doppler center frequency shift of moving target causes a phase difference in azimuth differential values. The phase difference is linearly distorted by Doppler rate due to the geometry of SAR image. The linear distortion is eliminated from phase removal procedure, and the constant phase difference is estimated. Finally, range velocity estimates for moving targets are retrieved. This technique is tested using an ENVISAT ASAR image in which several unknown ships are presented. The theoretical accuracy of this technique is discussed by SAR simulation. The advantages and disadvantages of this method over the conventional method are also discussed.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.1124-1126
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• 2003

The processes of regional scales in the East Korean coastal waters were investigated by analysis of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images taken by the European Research Satellites ERS-1, ERS-2 and Envisat. More than 500 quick look frames taken in 1991-2003 were examined to detect the frames with clearly surface expressions of oceanic phenomena. 26 ERS-1/2 SAR and 11 Envisat wide swath Advanced SAR (ASAR) frames were selected and obtained from the European Space Agency in a form of the precision high-resolution images. The following oceanic phenomena and processes were evident in the radar imagery through the Korean costal waters: fronts, currents, eddies, internal waves, island and ship wakes, oil pollution, etc. They manifested themselves in the field of sea surface roughness, their scale ranged from several tens meters to about 100 km. The most common morphology of these phenomena was a series of contrast dark or light curvilinear lines and bands. The joint analysis of the discussed SAR images with other satellite and in situ data supported and enhanced our interpretation of SAR signatures.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2007

The processes of regional scales in the East Korean coastal waters were investigated by analysis of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images taken by the European Research Satellites ERS-1, ERS-2 and Envisat. More than 500 quick look frames taken in 1991-2003 were examined to detect the frames with clearly surface expressions of oceanic phenomena. 26 ERS-1/2 SAR and 11 Envisat wide swath Advanced SAR (ASAR) frames were selected and obtained from the European Space Agency in a form of the precision high-resolution images. The following oceanic phenomena and processes were evident in the radar imagery through the Korean costal waters: fronts, currents, eddies, internal waves, island and ship wakes, oil pollution, etc. They manifested themselves in the field of sea surface roughness, their scale ranged from several tens meters to about 100 km. The most common morphology of these phenomena was a series of contrast dark or light curvilinear lines and bands. The joint analysis of the discussed SAR images with other satellite and in situ data supported and enhanced our interpretation of SAR signatures.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.376-379
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• 2006

A numerous oil slicks of natural origin were revealed in the southwest (SW) part of Caspian Sea by the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired by Envisat satellite in 2003-2004. On the basis of computer processing, visual analysis of SAR images and comparisons with bathymetry, geophysical and seismic data in geographic information system (GIS), a link between these slicks and unloading of liquid hydrocarbons in the SW Caspian is established. Oil slicks are basically concentrated above domes of local geological formations of the sedimentary cover. In total more than 90 seeps and mud volcanoes having a repeating regime and representing an active type were identified; they are distributed across the SW Azerbaijan and West Iranian sectors. Periodical occurrence of slicks can reflect alternation of mud volcanism pulses forced by intensive seismicity with the quiet periods. Seepage rate of oil in the SW part of the Caspian Sea according to SAR images is estimated to be up to 16,000 metric tons per year. The importance of unloading of oils on hydrochemistry and ecological conditions of the Caspian Sea is demonstrated. Conclusion is done that the Envisat SAR to be an excellent tool for studying oil seeps through observation oil slicks floating on the sea surface.