Research article
26 Aug 2011
Research article | 26 Aug 2011
Estimating flooded area and mean water level using active and passive microwaves: the example of Paraná River Delta floodplain
M. Salvia1, F. Grings1, P. Ferrazzoli2, V. Barraza1, V. Douna1, P. Perna1, C. Bruscantini1, and H. Karszenbaum1
M. Salvia et al.
M. Salvia1, F. Grings1, P. Ferrazzoli2, V. Barraza1, V. Douna1, P. Perna1, C. Bruscantini1, and H. Karszenbaum1
- 1Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE, CONICET-UBA), Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón IAFE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- 2Tor Vergata University, Ingegneria, DISP, 00133 Rome, Italy
- 1Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE, CONICET-UBA), Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón IAFE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- 2Tor Vergata University, Ingegneria, DISP, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Received: 27 Dec 2010 – Discussion started: 21 Mar 2011 – Revised: 12 Jul 2011 – Accepted: 08 Aug 2011 – Published: 26 Aug 2011
This paper describes a procedure to estimate both the fraction of flooded area and the mean water level in vegetated river floodplains by using a synergy of active and passive microwave signatures. In particular, C band Envisat ASAR in Wide Swath mode and AMSR-E at X, Ku and Ka band, are used. The method, which is an extension of previously developed algorithms based on passive data, exploits also model simulations of vegetation emissivity. The procedure is applied to a long flood event which occurred in the Paraná River Delta from December 2009 to April 2010. Obtained results are consistent with in situ measurements of river water level.
