Synergetic use of sentinel-1 and sentinel-2 data for extraction of built-up area in a rocky desert oasis, example for Draa tafilalt, south-east of Morocco

Abstract

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an active remote sensing technique capable of providing high-resolution imagery independent from daytime and to great extent unimpaired by weather conditions. Unlike the passive remote sensing active radars receive its' own reflected signal. Features of received signal make able to obtain additional information about surface objects and covers. Because of signal, double reflecting upon vertical surfaces like walls, it become common to study urbanized areas using SAR data. Because of mostly similar spectral characteristic of the typical buildings' roofs and sandy soils, that are distinguishing for Morocco, classification using visible and NIR multispectral remote sensing data is complicated. Thus, SAR data processing technique is rather useful while application to deserted area studying and urbanized areas identification.