Potential of Sentinel 1 Satellites for Mapping Tidal Flats. Case Study of the Baie Des Veys (Normandy, France)

The Sentinel 1 constellation with its early morning and evening pass is well-adapted to the geological study of the Baie des Veys, a French macrotidal bay. Whereas most of the satellites allow mapping only half of the surface of the bay, about 75% can be seen with Sentinel 1. A base comprising 641 Sentinel 1 images has been created. About a quarter of the images show interesting tidal conditions. The results dealt with: (i) the migration of the main channels, (ii) the land-directed sediment transport induced by the tidal asymmetry, (iii) the nature and moisture of the sediment also checked in the field, (iv) the topography of the bay by using the relation between the bare area and the tide record, (v) the development of salt-tolerant plants. Global perspectives offered by the Sentinel constellation meet local solutions as in the case of the Baie des Veys.