Salinity Levels Discrimination Using ERS-1/2 and Sentinel-1 SAR Time Series Data in Hortobágyi National Park, Hungary

Soil health is a fundamental condition in ensuring sustainable agriculture and maintaining food security. Hence, soil protection against degradation and intensive use is crucial for local governments. Salinization depicts one of the most common land degradation forms, requiring continuous monitoring to control and prevent its risks. This study aims to identify salinity levels in Hortobágyi National Park (HNP), using time series data retrieved from radar sensors, i.e., ERS-1/2 and Sentinel-1 SAR. For this purpose, ground truth data were collected in the Hungarian Soil Monitoring System framework between 2000 and 2018 in the September-October period. Field data were used in combination with backscatter intensity values derived from SAR data. The preliminary results revealed a partial efficiency of radar imagery in salt detection with an outperformance of Sentinel-1 SAR compared to ERS-1/2 due to its higher resolution and its operation with a dual-polarized antenna which can identify better variation in salinity.