BAR CHANGES AND MORPHOLOGY IN THE HAN RIVER ESTUARY USING RADARSAT/SAR IMAGES

Abstract

In river with bar, the characteristics of its physical conditions have a close relationship with bar morphology. In this paper, a monitoring approach of bar transformation in the Han River Estuary is presented using RADARSAT/SAR Images. The estuary is divided into North and South Korea and its area is blocked by CCL(Civil Control Line). Satellite remote sensing, therefore, is uniquely suited to monitoring bar transformation. Based on SAR signatures for bars, bar transformation is investigated from 2000 to 2005, and monitoring of suspended-silt transportations from terrestrial runoff is tried to understand the morphology during the events of severe rain storm. SAR data did not reveal clearly the bar locations because of most of data acquisitions during high tides from 6.8 m to 9.0 m. Even though the problem, it could be said that in the estuary vegetated area and natural levees are developed well, but bars are shifted after an event like a flood. It is also showed that suspended solids such as silt transported through the estuary could contribute highly to a sedimentation environment around Incheon.