CASE STUDY
SECTOR
Natural Resources and Environment
Source: NV5 Geospatial Software
utilizing-synthetic-aperture-radar-sar-for-landslide-detection-and-analysis-in-hokkaido-posttyphoon-jebi-and-earthquake
Source: NV5 Geospatial Software
In early September 2018, the island of Hokkaido, Japan, faced a dual natural disaster: a rainstorm associated with Typhoon Jebi followed by a 6.6 magnitude earthquake. These events resulted in severe ground saturation and extensive landslides due to the earthquake's impact on already vulnerable slopes. The rapid identification and analysis of landslide locations were crucial for rescue and recovery operations. Traditional optical satellite imagery, hindered by persistent cloud cover, proved ineffective in such conditions. This necessitated the use of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), which is capable of penetrating cloud cover and capturing high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or time of day. Leveraging PALSAR-2 data from JAXA, NV5 Geospatial's Japanese team utilized ENVI SARscape to process pre- and post-event SAR images, identifying areas of land loss and debris accumulation. This critical information was instrumental in assessing the damage to infrastructure and the environment, aiding in effective rescue and recovery efforts.
NV5 Geospatial Solutions, Inc.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency; Esri Japan Corporation
Geospatial Media and Communications Pvt. Ltd.