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This online course focuses on the applications of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) remote sensing for disaster monitoring. Learn about weather and illumination-independent SAR remote sensing technology, and explore its applications to natural hazards including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and flooding.
5,937 already enrolled!
Remote sensing observations from airborne and spaceborne platforms have become an essential tool in disaster management. They provide an immediate and large-area overview of evolving disaster situations, revealing important hazard information to disaster response personnel.
This course will introduce you to Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), a remote sensing technology that can see the earth surface even during darkness and through rain, clouds, or smoke. As a participant in this course, you will gain an intuitive understanding of the information contained in SAR earth observations and learn to use a range of analysis techniques and algorithms to apply SAR data to disaster mapping and management. Specific topics will include:
Learners registered for the verified track will additionally get the opportunity for hands-on lab exercises using Jupyter Notebooks. The verified track will also include peer discussions and a verified certificate upon successful completion.
This course is produced by the Alaska Satellite Facility at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, which has been selected as the NASA data hub for the upcoming NISAR mission.
Participants in this course will develop the following skills:
Week 1: Course Introduction and Basic Capabilities of SAR & InSAR
Week 1 will introduce you to the main content and structure of this course. You will also learn about the lab environment that will be available for learners on the “verified track”. The following items will be addressed:
Week 2: InSAR Time Series Analysis Techniques
InSAR time series analysis techniques enable the tracking of cm-scale surface displacements over long times. These techniques are relevant for a number of hazard applications such as landslide and volcano monitoring. In Week 2 we will address:
Week 3: Disaster Monitoring using SAR Image Data
SAR sensors are highly stable imaging systems that are ideal for the identification of changes on the earth surface. Week 3 will introduce participants to a range of techniques to monitor hazard events and identify changes from multi-temporal SAR images.
Week 4: Disaster Monitoring using InSAR Techniques
In this part of the course, we will apply the information learned in Week 4 to monitor surface displacements at volcanoes and in landslide-prone areas. Specifically, Week 6 will address the following items:
"It was a great course! I recommend it for both beginners and familiarized professionals with radar remote sensing."
– Gilberto Daniel Hermosillo Camacho, Specialist in Geotechnologies, Mexico
"Great hands-on activities and explanations! A great refresher course for those familiar with SAR, and helps with knowledge enhancement! Yet it's an approachable course even for beginners in SAR too."
– Sidharth Subramaniam, GIS Associate, Kawa Space, India
Glad to complete this SAR course offered via edX. It helps me to better interface with our satellite team when monitoring construction induced ground/building deformation, as well as broaden my horizons about SAR applications outside my expertise.
– Zhangwei Ning, PhD, Technical Manager at SIXENSE Inc
Who can take this course?
Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.
Who can take this course?
Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.
