Preserving natural ecosystems: atolls observed by partially polarimetric SAR satellite imagery

In this study, the potential of dualpolarimetric (DP) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data to observe atolls is addressed. The partial polarimetric information is exploited to both define the coastal profile and to classify the observed area. Experiments are undertaken on a fine resolution DP L-band ALOS PALSAR-2 SAR scene collected under horizontal linear polarization transmission over the Goidhoo Atoll belonging to the Maldivian Baa Atoll, that was selected as test site due its importance for the local ecosystem and the extraordinary value of its biodiversity. Preliminary results show that partial polarimetric information can be exploited for atoll observation purposes, including the coastline extraction and the classification of the observed scene.