Monitoring harsh coastal environments using polarimetric SAR data: the case of Solway Firth Wetlands

In this study, the capability of polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) measurements to monitor harsh coastal areas is addressed. A meaningful showcase is presented that refers to the Scottish Solway Firth (SF) wetlands, an important coastal ecosystem severely affected by extreme weather conditions. Experiments are undertaken on a pair of full-polarimetric (FP) C-band RadarSAT-2 SAR images collected over SF during July and November 2018 in order to both extract the coastal profile and to identify changes in the scattering behavior along the coastal strip. The results demonstrate the soundness of the proposed approach and the role played by FP SAR measurements to effectively support vulnerability and risk assessments in harsh coastal environments.