Use of Satellite SAR for Understanding Long-Term Human Occupation Dynamics in the Monsoonal Semi-Arid Plains of North Gujarat, India
1
CaSEs-Complexity and Socio-Ecological Dynamics Research Group
2
Spanish National Research Council (IMF-CSIC), c/ Egipcíaques, 15, Barcelona 08001, Catalonia, Spain
3
Geomatics Division, Catalan Telecommunications Technology Centre (CTTC), Av. Carl Friedrich Gauss, 11, Parc Mediterrani de la Tecnologia, Castelldefels E-08860, Catalonia, Spain
4
Department of Humanities, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, C/ Ramon Trias Fargas, 25–27, Barcelona 08005, Catalonia, Spain
5
ICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Remote Sens. 2014, 6(11), 11420-11443; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs61111420
Received: 7 July 2014 / Revised: 17 October 2014 / Accepted: 20 October 2014 / Published: 14 November 2014
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives of Remote Sensing for Archaeology)
Abstract
This work explores the spatial distribution of monsoonal flooded areas using ENVISAT C-band Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) in the semi-arid region of N. Gujarat, India. The amplitude component of SAR Single Look Complex (SLC) images has been used to estimate the extent of surface and near-surface water dynamics using the mean amplitude (MA) of monsoonal (July to September) and post-monsoonal (October to January) seasons. The integration of SAR-derived maps (seasonal flooding maps and seasonal MA change) with archaeological data has provided new insights to understand present-day landscape dynamics affecting archaeological preservation and visibility. Furthermore, preliminary results suggest a good correlation between Mid-Holocene settlement patterns and the distribution and extension of seasonal floodable areas within river basin areas, opening interesting inroads to study settlement distribution and resource availability in past socio-ecological systems in semi-arid areas. View Full-TextKeywords:
ENVISAT; SAR amplitude; Indian summer monsoon; archaeology; water areas; land use
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Conesa, F.C.; Devanthéry, N.; Balbo, A.L.; Madella, M.; Monserrat, O. Use of Satellite SAR for Understanding Long-Term Human Occupation Dynamics in the Monsoonal Semi-Arid Plains of North Gujarat, India. Remote Sens. 2014, 6, 11420-11443.
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