In today's PI meeting, both remote sensing groups reported on first findings regarding the radargrammetric processing of pairs of test images acquired in the landfall area of Hurricane Michael (2018). Using a commercially available software package, the UMass group has obtained first results from a pair of Capella SAR images, but the quality is questionable. They are still experimenting with different parameter settings and options – for example, the software can process the two SAR images in a standalone approach or in combination with known topography information from an external source, such as SRTM data. Similar tests have been started at CSTARS in Miami with the SAR images acquired by Airbus Defence and Space, but the partners at Airbus will apply their own radargrammetry algorithm as well and are expected to deliver results soon.
In addition to the discussion on radargrammetry progress, the UMiami / CSTARS group presented an example of shoreline (land-water boundary) extraction from a SAR image of the Hurricane Michael test area just on the basis of contrasts, as shown in the animated GIF on this page. This kind of product can be generated very quickly once a suitable SAR image has been acquired.
In the Coastal Sediments 2023 meeting in New Orleans, Ellen Quataert of the Deltares team shared modelling and observational results of the effect of dune and backbay vegetation on barrier island breaching processes in Florida and North Carolina.
The Deltares team on modelling hurricane impacts presented their results on the impacts of Hurricane Ian at the Coastal Sediments Conference, held 12-14 April in New Orleans, LA.
The University of Miami group prepared a status report on new achievements in the improvement of radargrammetry products.