Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms
We used synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data collected over Peru’s Lines and Geoglyphs of the Nasca and Palpa World Heritage Site to detect and measure landscape disturbance threatening world-renowned archaeological features and ecosystems. We employed algorithms to calculate correlations between pai...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-10-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/7/4/106 |
| _version_ | 1819200447742738432 |
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| author | Douglas C. Comer Bruce D. Chapman Jacob A. Comer |
| author_facet | Douglas C. Comer Bruce D. Chapman Jacob A. Comer |
| author_sort | Douglas C. Comer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We used synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data collected over Peru’s Lines and Geoglyphs of the Nasca and Palpa World Heritage Site to detect and measure landscape disturbance threatening world-renowned archaeological features and ecosystems. We employed algorithms to calculate correlations between pairs of SAR returns, collected at different times, and generate correlation images. Landscape disturbances even on the scale of pedestrian travel are discernible in correlation images generated from airborne, L-band SAR. Correlation images derived from C-band SAR data collected by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 satellites also provide detailed landscape change information. Because the two Sentinel-1 satellites together have a repeat pass interval that can be as short as six days, products derived from their data can not only provide information on the location and degree of ground disturbance, but also identify a time window of about one to three weeks during which disturbance must have occurred. For Sentinel-1, this does not depend on collecting data in fine-beam modes, which generally sacrifice the size of the area covered for a higher spatial resolution. We also report on pixel value stretching for a visual analysis of SAR data, quantitative assessment of landscape disturbance, and statistical testing for significant landscape change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T03:32:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50301a8df17749b0958922d3c07999a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T03:32:23Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-50301a8df17749b0958922d3c07999a92022-12-21T18:01:38ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632017-10-017410610.3390/geosciences7040106geosciences7040106Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite PlatformsDouglas C. Comer0Bruce D. Chapman1Jacob A. Comer2Cultural Site Research and Management Foundation, 2113 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USACultural Site Research and Management Foundation, 2113 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USAWe used synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data collected over Peru’s Lines and Geoglyphs of the Nasca and Palpa World Heritage Site to detect and measure landscape disturbance threatening world-renowned archaeological features and ecosystems. We employed algorithms to calculate correlations between pairs of SAR returns, collected at different times, and generate correlation images. Landscape disturbances even on the scale of pedestrian travel are discernible in correlation images generated from airborne, L-band SAR. Correlation images derived from C-band SAR data collected by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 satellites also provide detailed landscape change information. Because the two Sentinel-1 satellites together have a repeat pass interval that can be as short as six days, products derived from their data can not only provide information on the location and degree of ground disturbance, but also identify a time window of about one to three weeks during which disturbance must have occurred. For Sentinel-1, this does not depend on collecting data in fine-beam modes, which generally sacrifice the size of the area covered for a higher spatial resolution. We also report on pixel value stretching for a visual analysis of SAR data, quantitative assessment of landscape disturbance, and statistical testing for significant landscape change.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/7/4/106nasca linesUAVSARSentinel-1SAR interferometry (InSAR)disturbanceworld heritagearchaeologyparacasheritage managementpampasgeoglyphs |
| spellingShingle | Douglas C. Comer Bruce D. Chapman Jacob A. Comer Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms Geosciences nasca lines UAVSAR Sentinel-1 SAR interferometry (InSAR) disturbance world heritage archaeology paracas heritage management pampas geoglyphs |
| title | Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms |
| title_full | Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms |
| title_fullStr | Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms |
| title_short | Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms |
| title_sort | detecting landscape disturbance at the nasca lines using sar data collected from airborne and satellite platforms |
| topic | nasca lines UAVSAR Sentinel-1 SAR interferometry (InSAR) disturbance world heritage archaeology paracas heritage management pampas geoglyphs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/7/4/106 |
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