SAR Interferometry and Polarimetry for Mapping and Monitoring Permafrost in Canada

Rapid changes are occurring in Northern landscapes due to warming climate. The ice packs, glaciers and snow fields are retreating and the permafrost is melting leading to large scale changes in surface hydrology. Due to the isolation of this area and the large size of the region remote sensing is an attractive approach for mapping and monitoring these changes. SAR interferometry and polarimetry can be used to provide input to mapping and monitoring permafrost changes by detecting surface change. To evaluate and develop this approach several test sites in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut have been selected for observation with Radarsat-2, ALOS, and TerraSAR-X. This paper will describe one test site, the INSAR and polarimetric analyses methodology, and preliminary results for permafrost mapping and monitoring applications.