Future perspectives of SAR polarimetry with applications to multi-parameter fully polarimetric POLSAR remote sensing & geophysical stress-change monitoring within the equatorial/sub-equatorial belts by implementation of equatorially orbiting POLSAR single and tandem satellite sensors — Focused on Malaysia and Indonesia

The Indonesian Islands stretch over almost four time zones along the equatorial belt in between +/- 10* latitude, and its lush vegetation along with its mineral resources are exposed to increasing natural hazards like volcano eruptions, earthquakes and seaquakes with ensuing tsunami, cyclones with devastating floods plus ruthless mineral mining and conversion of natural tropical jungles into oil-palm estates for ethanol production. Thus, disaster assessment and prevention has become an ever more pressing topic of top priority. Current ground-based disaster damage assessment methods are cumbersome and costly due to sudden sporadic hazard occurrences; and local point measurements are not representative of larger affected regions. Due to the strong spatial and temporal dynamics of geo/bio-environmental constituents enhanced by distinct local weather conditions, frequent continual observations are necessary for which microwave satellite remote sensing and stress change monitoring provide the sought for repetitive monitoring capability and synoptic coverage subject to equatorially orbiting POL-SAR satellite implementation.