SAR intensity images in the study of coastal displacement

This paper presents the results of a study evaluating the use of SAR intensity images to quantify the displacement in time of a coastline. First, it describes the preliminary tests to assess the accuracy of a coastline position obtained from SAR intensity images. Then, acements of the Emilia-Romagna coastline (from the border with Marche to the Po River mouth) obtained by cartography and aerial photogrammetry are compared with those inferred from two SAR images. The preliminary tests show that the horizontal of the SAR intensity images is about 20 m, a value that coincides with the mean tidal excursion of the Emilia-Romagna. The comparison of the variations inferred by classical cartography, aerial photogrammetry and direct surveys with those calculated from the SAR images indicates similar speeds ofthe coastline erosions in many tracts ofthe Emilia-Romagna coast.