7#(:4':222222X3$3$3$3$ 3.3D3D"3fx3$3 34#*4M24#44#4#4M94#4#4#4#4#4#.c.Kerang, Australia Titles of Investigations I. The Evaluation of SIR-C/X-SAR Imagery for Surficial Sediment Mapping and Groundwater Management in Australia II. Climate Change and Neotectonic History of Arid/Semi-arid Regions III. Multi-Frequency, Multi-Polarization External Calibration of the SIR-C/X-SAR Radars IV. Alluvial Fan Evolution V. Combined Altimetry and SAR Imagery of a Desert Test Site Principal Investigators I. Dr. Geoffrey Taylor University of New South Wales II. Dr. Tom Farr Jet Propulsion Laboratory III. Dr. Anthony Freeman Jet Propulsion Laboratory IV. Dr. Allan Gillespie University of Washington V. Dr. Chris Rapley University College London Site Description: The Kerang region of Australia is part of the lower Loddon Valley which merges into the southern side of the Murray Valley, located some 500 km west of Canberra. The terrain is remarkable for its flatness, falling gently to the north, and is mostly divided into large agricultural fields. The Kerang region produces food, fiber, and fodder and serves as a valuable source of livestock. Agriculture away from the immediate vicinity of the river channels is dependent on irrigation. The wetlands in the river valleys support wildlife and recreation areas. The Murray basin is a Cenozoic sedimentary basin with over 300 meters of marine and lacustrine sediments. The region around Kerang is characterized by aeolian and lacustrine sands, the latter showing numerous prior stream courses. There are numerous natural ground water discharge areas in the Kerang region and irrigation has raised the water table in adjacent regions, resulting in salinization of upper soil horizons. The salts are derived from "ancient" saline ground water at depth rather than from the present day Murray river. Better irrigation practices can minimize the salinization problem but require the ability to recognize the presence of elevated water tables at an early stage. Because of the flatness, the region is suitable as a primary calibration site for SIR-C/X-SAR. To support this effort, Australian scientists and engineers have offered to supply, deploy, and operate calibration equipment in the Kerang region. In addition, other important SIR-C/X-SAR objectives of this experiment are to determine the utility of SAR images to map surficial sediments and to map elevated water tables and saline soils to allow for better control of the salinity problem. Objectives: I. a) Assess the utility of multi-polarization, multi-frequency spaceborne radar for surficial sediment mapping and ground water management in a variety of Australian environments. b) Establish the utility of the SIR-C/X-SAR imagery for recognizing basement structures. II. a) The goal of the proposed research is to determine the history of Quaternary climate change for inclusion in global paleoclimate models and reconstructions of the tectonic history of the area. III. a) Assess the accuracy at which the SIR-C/X-SAR standard data products can be calibrated. b) Study the cross-calibration between three independent multi-polarization systems: SIR-C, the NASA/JPL DC-8 SAR, and the University of Michigan ground-based polarimetric scatterometer. c) Evaluate the calibration stability of the SIR-C/X-SAR. d) Develop a cost-effective calibration plan which includes the development of inexpensive polarimetric active calibrators. IV. a) Describe systematic morphologic changes with surface age in terms of multiparameter radar backscatter. b) Construct for the studied fans a depositional and weathering history based on SAR and other images and field investigations. c) Use the depositional and weathering history of the study area to constrain paleoclimatic interpretations. d) Use project as prototype for paleoclimate studies. e) Test the hypothesis that spectral mixing analysis can be applied to multiparameter SAR images of alluvial fans in arid and semiarid regions. f) Define radar endmembers physically, in terms of Bragg scattering, volume scattering, specular and corner reflectors, and dielectric constant, etc.. g) Develop and test mixing models for comparative analysis of images spanning multiple spectral regions. V. a) Carry out a technical and geophysical investigation of scanning-beam, beam-limited altimetry using SIR-C/X-SAR at vertical incidence over a well-characterized desert test site. b) Evaluate and compare the height information obtainable by means of SAR-interferometry and SAR-stereo over the selected desert test site. c) Investigate desert surface and subsurface features and properties which can be measured, and to define optimum observing parameters. d) Evaluate the role of satellite remote sensing in geomorphological processes of erosion, transportation, and deposition in arid regions. e) Develop and validate analysis techniques for the study and monitoring of desert processes. Field Measurements: I. a) A record of the recent history of borehole water tables, soil moisture contents, chemical composition, field determined dielectric properties, and visible, near, and mid-IR signatures is currently being acquired. At the time of the overpasses, surveys will be made of the following parameters: soil moisture/chemical composition/dielectric properties; water tables and recharge rates in boreholes; ground and air temperatures; soil resitivities; and vegetation cover and vigor b) As near as possible to the mission, it is planned to acquire coincident GEOSCAN imagery (including the near and mid-infrared) and Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery. It is also planned to execute a penetration experiment using buried targets. The construction of L-band corner reflectors and PARCs for the Kerang array is currently near completion. Farr, Gillespie, Rapley -- please provide if applicable III. a) Deploy inexpensive trihedral corner reflectors to characterize co-polarized channel imbalance in magnitude and phase over an area wider than that covered by the active calibrators in the primary calibration area. Crew Observations: 1) Crew Journal: Describe weather conditions and cloud cover, aeolian activity, saline soils and surficial sediment, high water tables, and amount of vegetation at the site. 2) Cameras: Hercules and Hasselblad will be used to photograph the site. Coverage Requirements: The minimum coverage requirements for the Kerang, Australia test site are four (4) passes, preferably 48. Anticipated Results: I. a) Be able to map surficial deposits of different type and age by surface roughness, sub-surface volume scattering, cross-polarization returns and phase difference images. This will have important consequences for the recognition of potential aquifer materials in arid and semi-arid regions. b) Be able to map seepage zones in areas of internal drainage and salt-lake formation by using variations in dielectric constant to determine moisture contents and conducting salt layers. This will be important in the understanding of natural salt-lake systems and in salinity management in irrigation areas such as the Murray Darling Basin and elsewhere in the world. c) Demonstrate that spaceborne radar will be a powerful tool for mapping basement tectonic features through overlying surficial sediments. While having undoubted implications for petroleum exploration, this will also be important for recognizing high permeability zones for the siting of water bores. d) Test the effect of varying amounts of vegetation cover on our ability to achieve (a), (b), and (c). II. a) Maps of geomorphic surfaces with ages attached to them will be a major step toward understanding the climatic history of this region of the earth. b) Comparisons of this climate record with climate records from the oceans and other continents will help advance the global synthesis of climate change. c) Answers to the questions of how unique and how globally representative remote sensing signatures are will directly affect our future ability to extrapolate the signatures to global studies of climate change. d) Determination of past slip rates on some active faults in the area by knowing the ages of offset surfaces. III. a) Full polarimetric end-to-end characterization of the SIR-C/X-SAR system in the primary calibration target area within the limitations of instrument accuracy. b) A better understanding of polarimetric calibration of space-borne microwave synthetic aperture radar. IV. a) New technique for "unmixing" multiparameter radar images into meaningful components (e.g., volume-scattering surfaces or "vegetation", Bragg-scattering surfaces, etc.). b) An alternative to "extended spectral signatures" for joint analysis of disparate images spanning multiple spectral regions. c) Better history of bajada surface evolution than available from chemical weathering studies alone. d) Test of predictive models for climate/paleoclimate and for inferences from paleoecological studies. V. a) A demonstration of scanned-beam, beam-limited altimetry and along-track synthetic aperture processing resulting in an improved specification for future instruments. b) Improved understanding of the radar backscatter mechanism from homogeneous, rough surfaces, particularly at vertical incidence. c) A quantitative assessment of SAR-interferometric and SAR-stereo height estimation. d) An improved understanding of the information content of SAR imagery of arid regions, and the specification of optimum observing parameters for desert imagery. e) The development of an improved DTM for the desert test site, including topography and surface/subsurface characteristics such as surface roughness, soil type, moisture content and vegetation cover. f) The development and validation of analysis techniques and observing methodologies for the determination and monitoring of desert morphological processes, particularly those related to climate change. uasses, preferably from the same direction. Anticipated Results: I. a) Establishment of a methodology to estimate soil moisture and evaporation rates at a regional scale for irrigation projects, climatological studies, and as an input to numerical models for weather forecasting, based on operational SAR systems such as the Earth Observing System (EOS), envisaged for the mid-90's; b) Development of a data base relying on a multiparameter SAR s/0 fgy{"f"g(9(:(= @   +01CD`a !;WXq k l n뿶먚뚨 ! x@ ! x@ ! x@! !  ! @ ! 0@ ! 0@! ! 7noab  78\]vwefg{|:TrsͿ͎ͥw! 0 ! 8@!  ! 8@ !  ! 8@ ! 8@!  ! x@ ! x@ ! x@.78hino !R!S!!"f"g####$$$l$m%%%%%%&&'i'j(7(8(9(:չիի՝իիի՝իիի՝իի՝՝Ք!!  ! x@ ! x@ x@ ! x@ ! x@ ! l! ! 03:New York 10 point,timesCourier , ':(:z]$':-t(=n(: ! HH(FG(HH(d'@=/RBH -:LaserWriter Palatino'9'9'9(9Mission SummarySIR-CED Karl Erickson Karl Erickson