Title
Burn Severity Assessment Using Sentinel-1 SAR in the Southeast Peruvian Amazon, a Case Study of Madre de Dios
Date Issued
01 August 2022
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Alarcon-Aguirre G.
Miranda Fidhel R.F.
Ramos Enciso D.
Rodriguez-Achata L.
Garate-Quispe J.
Publisher(s)
MDPI
Abstract
Fire is one of the significant drivers of vegetation loss and threat to Amazonian landscapes. It is estimated that fires cause about 30% of deforested areas, so the severity level is an important factor in determining the rate of vegetation recovery. Therefore, the application of remote sensing to detect fires and their severity is fundamental. Radar imagery has an advantage over optical imagery because radar can penetrate clouds, smoke, and rain and can see at night. This research presents algorithms for mapping the severity level of burns based on change detection from Sentinel-1 backscatter data in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon. Absolute, relative, and Radar Forest Degradation Index (RDFI) predictors were used through singular polarization length (dB) patterns (Vertical, Vertical-VV and Horizontal, Horizontal-HH) of vegetation and burned areas. The Composite Burn Index (CBI) determined the algorithms’ accuracy. The burn severity ratios used were estimated to be approximately 40% at the high level, 43% at the moderate level, and 17% at the low level. The validation dataset covers 384 locations representing the main areas affected by fires, showing the absolute and relative predictors of cross-polarization (k = 0.734) and RDFI (k = 0.799) as the most concordant in determining burn severity. Overall, the research determines that Sentinel-1 cross-polarized (VH) data has adequate accuracy for detecting and quantifying burns.
Volume
5
Issue
4
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ecología
Conservación de la Biodiversidad
Ciencias ambientales
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85137351910
Source
Fire
ISSN of the container
25716255
DOI of the container
10.3390/fire5040094
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus