Research project T4/DD/56 (Research action T4)
In the region of Hanoi in North Vietnam, large amounts of waters are held by old dykes during the swellings of the Red River that occur from the end to July to the end of August. Every year during this period, local authorities and residents are in a state of permanent alert due to the fear of catastrophic ruptures. The number and extent of dykes under concern raise the question of using spaceborne remote sensing for monitoring and alert purposes. This possibility was recently discussed by Spacebel with the Vietnamese authorities. The general objective of the present feasibility study, proposed as the first step in the validation of remote sensing, for the thematics described above, is to identify the parameters by which the vulnerability of dykes can be characterised using remote sensing techniques. The technologies to be used include SAR imaging, interferometry (InSAR) and differential interferometry (DInSAR).
In this Study, Spacebel shall act as the User Partner. The Scientific Partnership is made of three categories of experts, i.e.,
SAR/InSAR/DInSAR processing (Centre Spatial de Liège - CSL), hydrology (Faculté Universitaire des Sciences Agronomiques de Gembloux - FUSAG), and hydraulics (Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB).
The specific objectives and work breakdown of the study are:
1. InSAR/DInSAR processing of Single-Look Complex ERS -1/2 SAR images over the region of interest (WP 1 - CSL).
2. Coregistration of InSAR/DInSAR products with calibrated Precision ERS -1/2 SAR images and SPOT images (WP 1 - FUSAG).
3. Determination of significant vulnerability criteria of dykes (WP 2 - ULB).
4. Inventory of those criteria that can be identified in SAR images and interferometric derived products (WP 3 - All).
5. Evaluation, in terms of quality, accuracy and robustness, of the information extracted from image processing (WP 3 - All).
6. Conclusions regarding the potential use of the methodology for dyke monitoring (WP 3- All).
The total duration of the study shall be six months.
