Classification of Dual-Polarization PALSAR Image of Aceh

Abstract

The determination of forest area in Aceh had been carried out with PALSAR data. Phase Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) data were different with optical data either in data acquisition or difficulties in data processing. A single un-polarized radar data were difficult to recognize objects of targets. While multi-polarized radar easier to recognize objects. The horizontal polarized radar wave H transmitted to object and the return wave were received with horizontal polarized receiver produced HH polarized radar data, while the return wave received with vertical polarized receiver produced HV polarized radar data. In the other hand vertical polarized radar wave V transmitted to objects received with horizontal receiver produced VH polarized radar data, and produced VV polarized radar data if the return radar wave received with vertical polarized receiver. PALSAR acquired data in some mode, among others dual-polarization mode that produced both HH and HV polarized radar image data. These data then be processed became ortho rectified HH and HV polarized radar image data. The only two images could be combined in a color composite image, HH in blue channel , HV in green channel , and HH again in red channel, objects included in the images could be seen in colors. Wide area objects such as forest, resident area, agriculture namely land covers could be clustered (classified) in one color respectively. The certain land cover classification could be performed by the classic supervised classification – maximumlikelihood. The result was a colorfull classified image that represented some object areas over Aceh.