5. COMPETENCE OF SAR IMA
SPILL DETECTI
The problem of pollution of the oceanic wat oil materials is presently considered as one
As first step for solution of the oil spill re using airborne and spaceborne remote se
surveillance of the sea surface. Such system all-weather observation, be independent fro
conditions and cloud cover, define the volume of oil spill and work in real scale of
aperture radar SAR is independent of illumination conditions and allow to acquire
and night under cloud cover that is an ad remote sensing sensors.
SAR is an active remote sensing tool in wh satellite transmits microwave signals tow
surface, SAR signal after interaction with the to the antenna [22]. The interaction between
microwaves is very sensitive to variatio roughness. Rough surfaces scatter large amo
to the antenna and have bright signatures wh reflect the energy away from the anten
signatures. It is well-known, that crude substances form films of various thicknesses
Oil films locally damp sea surface roughn signatures, so-called slicks, on the SAR im
look on the SAR images as dark patch surrounding surface.
During the lifetime of oil spill in the sea it number of processes, which dramatically
chemical properties. Called by term weatheri are as follows: spreading, drift, evapo
emulsification, bacterial degradation and ph With time the physical-chemical propertie
changed due to effect of these processes. Th important role in oil spill detection by using
but relative importance of each process is n It is also reported that the thick part of oil
only 10 of spill area, while remaining oil c an area as blue shine [22].
The detectability of oil slicksspills in SA depends on the wind speed at the sea surfac
speeds, typically between 0 and 2-3 ms, th dark on SAR images. In this case the wind-g
not already developed and oil films look background, - detection in this case is impo
between 3 and 6 ms is ideal for oil slick surface roughness is developed and oil sli
patches on a bright background. However, reaches 10-12 ms, detectability is im
obstructed due to the redistribution of oil surface waves and wind-induced mixing i
layer [23]. as a result slick disappears from SAR imagery.
Other detection problem is discrimination and natural organic oil slicks [8]. Natural
very small thickness resulting from life-cyc other marine organisms can form surface
surface and, in turn, produce similar dark sig images [7]. Experiments conducted with mu
polarization SIR-CX aboard the space shu
F AGERY FOR OIL
TION
aters by crude oil and ne of the most sharp.
l response problem is sensing systems for
tem must provide the from of illumination
e position, type and of time [24]. Synthetic
of weather and sun uire SAR images day
advantage over other which an antenna on a
toward to the ocean the sea surface returns
en the sea surface and tions in sea surface
mount of energy back while smooth surfaces
tenna and have dark de oil and other oil
ses on the sea surface. ghness and give dark
R images [9];[8], they tches among brighter
it will be expose to a ly influence physical-
ering, these processes aporation, dispersion,
photo oxidation [12]. rties of oil spills are
. These processes play ing space borne SAR,
s not well understood. il film usually covers
il covers up to 90 of SAR images strongly
rface. Under low wind , the sea surface looks
d-generated waves are ooks dark on a dark
possible. Wind speed ick detection, the sea
slicks appear as dark er, when wind speed
impossible again or il spillsslicks by the
g in the upper ocean m the sea surface and
n between man-made ral biogenic films of a
cycle of plankton and ce slicks on the sea
signatures on the SAR multi-frequencymulti-
shuttle [16]; [7], as expected could provide more relia
discrimination.
6. METHO