Quantifying lava flow roughness as it pertains to SIR-C radar microwave backscatter intensity
Ewing CT. 2008. Quantifying lava flow roughness as it pertains to SIR-C radar microwave backscatter intensity. University of Calgary. Calgary, Alberta, Canada
In order to better interpret radar remotely sensed imagery of volcanic landscapes, we must understand the way in which microwave energy behaves on a variety of volcanic surfaces. This analysis focuses on simple methods of quantifying surface roughness of three different lava surfaces, ‘ā’ā, pāhoehoe and lava lake pāhoehoe found on the Kilauea Volcano, Hawai’i. Each lava surface had remarkably different surface roughness characteristics which were directly related to microwave backscatter digital numbers taken from an SIR-C L-band radar image. Using only lengths of rope, we were able to quantify surface roughness at scales comparable to radar wavelengths and found that each lava surface had a unique backscatter signature that differentiated it from the other lava types. The analysis also revealed that pāhoehoe lava flows show a higher degree of small-scale roughness perpendicular to the direction of flow which may one day allow for the interpretation of lava flow directionality from radar imagery.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Ewing, Cal
- Date of Issue
- 2008
- Publisher
- University of Calgary
- Units
- HAVO
- Keywords
- backscatter, Big Island, Geology, Hawaii, Kilauea, Lava, Physical Sciences, Radar, Remote Sensing, surface substrate, Volcanology/Geothermal