Evaluation of the potential of radar ENVISAT data for the updating of numerical thematic maps on the coastal fringe of French Guyana

The objective of this study is to value the potential of radar satellites data, in particular ENVISAT, for the updating and the revision of existing thematic maps on the coastal plain of French Guyana. The scale of work retained is the 1: 50000. The cartographic updating consists in removing on the old map the geographical elements that disappeared and adding evolutions undergone by the landscape between two dates given. Our methodology of updating takes support on the topographic (IGN, National Geographic Institute, France), and Vegetation (LET, Terrestrial Ecology Laboratory) numerical existing maps. In humid tropical context, the images radar is the only one to be efficient to provide Information on deposits of surface, and the occupation of soil. It has been carried out in this study a follow-up of the evolution of the coastline between 1992 (ERS) and 2002 (ENVISAT), and a comparison of the potential of ERS, JERS, and ENVISAT for the cartography of the coastal plain. Results from previously studies have been used as control data. Data extracted after Remote Sensing treatments have been integrated in a Geographical Information System.