Backscatter Characterization of Multi-temporal Radarsat Imagery in Ajkwa Tailing Deposition Area (Papua, Indonesia)

Abstract

This Research investigated the characteristic of Multi-temporal Radarsat backscatter in F2N Identical Swath mode with more than 6 years of acquisition period. It included the assessment of the stability of Radarsat imageries for multi­temporal analysis by using variance analysis on the selected sample area of "permanent" landcover. This analysis, I was used to obtain Radarsat signal changes caused by the micro-geomorphology of tailing material propagation at the Modified Ajkwa Deposition Area (ModADA) of PT Freeport Indonesia, Timika, Papua. For this purpose, the 8 bit multi-temporal imageries was overlayed and interpreted, to describe the sequences of land cover dynamics resulting from the propagation of tailing material deposition. This overlay was visualy clear to describe the changes in signal characteristic due to certain condition of land surfaces. The result indicated different range of reflections. Diffuse reflection was detected on the undisturbed forest, natural comer reflection was related to the flooded vegetation, and specular reflection was mostly found on the established tailing. The reflection types was used to discriminate and to describe the segmentation class of Radarsat backscatter on the study area. Finally the segmentation analysis trial for each classs was implemented in the given image part. The intention was to assess the radar backscater characterstics as a potential information to study the sequence of moving tailing material in the tailing management purposes.