Interpreting sea surface slicks on the basis of the normalized radar cross‐section model using RADARSAT‐2 copolarization dual‐channel SAR images

A simple automatic multipolarization technique for discrimination of main types of thin oil films (of thickness less than the radio wave skin depth) from natural ones is proposed. It is based on a new multipolarization parameter related to the ratio between the damping in the slick of specially norm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2016-03, Vol.43 (6), p.2748-2757
Main Authors: Ivonin, D. V., Skrunes, S., Brekke, C., Ivanov, A. Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cross-sections
Crude oil
Damping
Depth
Discrimination
Emulsions
Geofag: 450
Geosciences: 450
Image processing
Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400
Mathematical models
Mathematics and natural science: 400
Mineral oils
multipolarization technique
normalized radar cross‐section model
Oceanography: 452
Oil
Oil films
Oil slicks
Oil spills
Oseanografi: 452
Petroleum
Provenance
Radar
Radar cross sections
Radar imagery
Radar imaging
Radarsat
RADARSAT‐2
Radio
Radio waves
SAR (radar)
SAR images
Sea surface
Slicks
Synthetic aperture radar
Temperature (air-sea)
Thickness
Thin films
VDP
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Summary:A simple automatic multipolarization technique for discrimination of main types of thin oil films (of thickness less than the radio wave skin depth) from natural ones is proposed. It is based on a new multipolarization parameter related to the ratio between the damping in the slick of specially normalized resonant and nonresonant signals calculated using the normalized radar cross‐section model proposed by Kudryavtsev et al. (2003a). The technique is tested on RADARSAT‐2 copolarization (VV/HH) synthetic aperture radar images of slicks of a priori known provenance (mineral oils, e.g., emulsion and crude oil, and plant oil served to model a natural slick) released during annual oil‐on‐water exercises in the North Sea in 2011 and 2012. It has been shown that the suggested multipolarization parameter gives new capabilities in interpreting slicks visible on synthetic aperture radar images while allowing discrimination between mineral oil and plant oil slicks. Key Points Multipolarization SAR image processing for oil slick discrimination Internal calibration of the image processing with respect to incidence angle Oil slicks and oil spills in the marine environment
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1002/2016GL068282