Antonio Montuori

A Multifrequency Polarimetric SAR Processing Chain to Observe Oil Fields in the Gulf of Mexico

Within the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, multiplatform synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is being used to aid post hurricane and postaccident response efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, such as in the case of the recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The main areas of interest related to such disasters are the following: (1) to identify oil pipeline leaks and other oil spills at sea and (2) to detect man-made metallic targets over the sea. Within the context of disaster monitoring and response, an innovative processing chain is proposed to observe oil fields (i.e., oil spills and man-made metallic targets) using both Land C-band full-resolution and fully polarimetric SAR data. The processing chain consists of two steps. The first one, based on the standard deviation of the phase difference between the copolarized channels, allows oil monitoring. The second one, based on the different symmetry properties that characterize man made metallic targets and natural distributed ones, allows man made metallic target observation. Experiments, accomplished over single-look complex L-band Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) and C-band RADARSAT-2 fully polarimetric SAR data gathered in the Gulf of Mexico and related to the Deepwater Horizon accident, show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Furthermore, the proposed approach, being able to process both Land C-band fully polarimetric and full resolution SAR measurements, can take full benefit of both the ALOS PALSAR and RADARSAT-2 missions, and therefore, it allows enhancing the revisit time and coverage which are very critical issues in oil field observation.

Single-Look Complex COSMO-SkyMed SAR Data to Observe Metallic Targets at Sea

In this paper, a physically based approach, which takes full benefits of speckle noise as source of information, is first applied over X-band full-resolution single-look complex slant (SCS) COSMO-SkyMed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data to observe metallic targets at sea. A constant false alarm rate (CFAR) filter based on the coherent-to-incoherent field ratio is developed, which: 1) is very effective in terms of processing time, 2) is able to provide logical true-and-false outputs characterized by a very low false alarm rate; and 3) can operate in a wide range of incidence angles. Experimental results, obtained by processing a wide data set of full-resolution SCS X-band COSMO-SkyMed SAR data, show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Part of this data set regards the challenging operational case related to the Air France Flight 447 accident occurred on June 1, 2009, off the Brazilian coasts. It is shown how COSMO-SkyMed SAR data can assist the search of aircraft debris at sea. Moreover, the proposed approach is of great applicative relevance even because of the high revisit time of COSMO-SkyMed constellation.

Sea wave numerical simulations with COSMO-SkyMed © SAR data

ABSTRACT Benassai G, Migliaccio M., Montuori A., 2013. Sea wave numerical simulations with Cosmo-SkyMed SAR data. In this paper, X-band COSMO-SkyMed© Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data are first experimented as wind field forcing of coastal wind-wave oceanographic modeling for sea-wave numerical simulation. The SWAN wave numerical simulations run with Cosmo-SkyMed SAR wind data were performed with respect to some relevant wave storms in the Southern Thyrrenian Sea area during the winter season of 2010. The wind forcing is provided by X-band COSMO-SkyMed© SAR-based wind field estimations which are properly blended with both buoys wave data and ECMWF model winds to retrieve meaningful wave parameters (e.g. significant wave height, wave directions and periods) as physical descriptors of storm events. Experimental results accomplished with X-band COSMO-SkyMed© SAR-based wind field forcing are successfully compared with the ones gathered by using both buoys wave field data and ECMWF model winds, only. The results obtained with the use of blended COSMO-SkyMed©-ECMWF data are satisfactory in terms of sea storm reconstruction, so this source of data can be used also for coastal management purposes.

Metallic objects and oil spill detection with multi-polarization SAR

In this study, two innovative physically-based approaches have been developed to detect man-made metallic objects and oil slicks in polarimetric SAR data. They are based on the different sea surface scattering mechanisms expected with and without oil slicks and metallic objects. Experiments, accomplished over Single Look Complex (SLC) Level 1.1 quad-pol L-band ALOS PALSAR SAR data, demonstrate the effectiveness of the two approaches for oil slick and metallic target detection purposes and witness the capability of ALOS PALSAR data for such applications.

Dual-polarized COSMO SkyMed SAR data to observe metallic targets at sea

A dual-polarimetric model to exploit PingPong mode X-band full-resolution COSMO-SkyMed (CSK©) SAR data for metallic targets observation purposes is developed. The model relates the correlation between the co-polarized channels, in case of sea surface with and without metallic targets, to the time leg between two successive bursts. Experiments undertaken over COSMO-SkyMed Single Look Complex Slant (SCS) PingPong SAR data demonstrate the soundness of the proposed approach and its effectiveness from an operational viewpoint.

Wind speed estimation in the Tyrrhenian Sea by means of X-band COSMO-SkyMed SAR data

In this paper, the SAR-based wind speed estimation at sea is investigated over X-band COSMO-SkyMed© SAR data in the test area of Tyrrhenian Sea basin. The SAR data set consists of X-band VV-polarized Level 1B Detected Ground Multi-look (DGM) StripMap HImage and ScanSAR Huge Region COSMO-SkyMed© SAR measurements, collected in the test area on 2009 and 2010, respectively. The sea surface wind speed estimation is accomplished by means of the SAR wind speed algorithm based on the Azimuth cut-off procedure, which is properly extended to the non trivial X-band case and therefore calibrated over both StripMap HImage and ScanSAR Huge Region modes SAR data. The reference wind speed, which is used as ground truth for both calibration and SAR-based wind speed estimation purposes, is provided by timely and spatially co-located 25km × 25km QuikSCAT and 12.5km × 12.5km ASCAT scatterometer wind speed for the StripMap HImage and ScanSAR Huge Region SAR data sets, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach for sea surface wind speed estimation purposes, taking full benefits of X-band COSMO-SkyMed© SAR data.

X-Band Two-Scale Sea Surface Scattering Model to Predict the Contrast due to an Oil slick

In this study, a sea/oil contrast model, based on the two-scale sea surface scattering Boundary Perturbation Model and an improved Marangoni damping model, is exploited to predict the X-band contrast due to an oil slick. Theoretical predictions are then compared with actual X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) measurements collected by COSMO-SkyMed and TerraSAR-X satellites over the polluted area off the Aberdeen coast (United Kingdom) during the Gannet Alpha oil spillage occurred in 2011. The contrast model is here verified at X-band for the first time and exploited in a very challenging scenario, i.e., when an oil slick is in place. In addition, a detailed analysis on the effect of sensors noise equivalent sigma zero (NESZ) on the predicted and measured contrast is undertaken. Experimental results confirm model predictions, witnessing a remarkable agreement between predicted and measured contrasts. Moreover, they demonstrate that NESZ significantly affects the information content of the signal backscattered off the oil-covered area.

The Interferometric Use of Radar Sensors for the Urban Monitoring of Structural Vibrations and Surface Displacements

In this paper, we propose a combined use of real aperture radar (RAR) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors, within an interferometric processing chain, to provide a new methodology for monitoring urban environment and historical buildings at different temporal and spatial scales. In particular, ground-based RAR measurements are performed to estimate the vibration displacements and the natural oscillation frequencies of structures, with the aim of supporting the understanding of the building dynamic response. These measurements are then juxtaposed with ground-based and space-borne SAR data to monitor surface deformation phenomena, and hence, point out potential risks within an urban environment. In this framework, differential interferometric SAR algorithms are implemented to generate short-term (monthly) surface displacement and long-term (annual) mean surface displacement velocity maps at local (hundreds m2) and regional (tens km2) scale, respectively. The proposed methodology, developed among the activities carried out within the national project Programma Operativo Nazionale MASSIMO (Monitoraggio in Area Sismica di SIstemi MOnumentali), is tested and discussed for the ancient structure of Saint Augustine compound, located in the historical center of Cosenza (Italy) and representing a typical example of the Italian Cultural Heritage.

The Combined Use of Airborne Remote Sensing Techniques within a GIS Environment for the Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Urban Areas: An Operational Application

The knowledge of the topographic features, the building properties, and the road infrastructure settings are relevant operational tasks for managing post-crisis events, restoration activities, and for supporting search and rescue operations. Within such a framework, airborne remote sensing tools have demonstrated to be powerful instruments, whose joint use can provide meaningful analyses to support the risk assessment of urban environments. Based on this rationale, in this study, the operational benefits obtained by combining airborne LiDAR and hyperspectral measurements are shown. Terrain and surface digital models are gathered by using LiDAR data. Information about roads and roof materials are provided through the supervised classification of hyperspectral images. The objective is to combine such products within a geographic information system (GIS) providing value-added maps to be used for the seismic vulnerability assessment of urban environments. Experimental results are gathered for the city of Cosenza, Italy.

The MASSIMO system for the safeguarding of historic buildings in a seismic area: operationally-oriented platforms

Abstract In this paper, the non-invasive system MASSIMO is presented for the monitoring and the seismic vulnerability mitigation of the cultural heritage. It integrates ground-based, airborne and spaceborne remote sensing tools with geophysical and in situ surveys to provide the multi-spatial (regional, urban and building scales) and multi-temporal (long-term, short-term, near-real-time and real-time scales) monitoring of test areas and buildings. The measurements are integrated through web-based GIS and 3D visual platforms to support decision-making stakeholders involved in urban planning and structural requalification. An application of this system is presented over the Calabria region for the town of Cosenza and a test historical complex.