Using Quad-Polarimetric SAR (ALOS-2) to Monitor Wetness of Bogs in Scotland and Sweden

Peatlands are important carbon sinks however many peatlands have been degraded. This lowers the water level releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite data can be used to monitor the water level in peatlands and therefore identifies areas that are in need of restoration. Using quad-pol L-band data from ALOS-2 shows potential to identify negative change in the water level. Observing eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the change matrix of a bog in Scotland identifies a lower water table (drier peatland) that corresponds with less surface scattering. In addition, observing the coherence regions of different points around peatlands shows variations in the scattering. Improvements to these results would be made by obtaining acquisitions on dates which had a higher water table.