Submeter Resolution Microsatellite SAR for Assessing Arctic Permafrost Coastal Erosion
Journal
Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Journal Volume
40
Journal Issue
2
Start Page
04026003
ISSN
0887381X
Date Issued
2026-06-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Arctic permafrost coasts are among the most dynamic and vulnerable shorelines worldwide, where climate-induced thawing processes drive rapid coastal erosion. These changes jeopardize critical infrastructure and exacerbate maintenance challenges for engineering systems in cold regions. Traditional monitoring approaches, primarily relying on optical remote sensing, are hindered by persistent cloud cover and poor temporal resolution, limiting their capacity to capture the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of shoreline changes. In response to these challenges, this study harnesses recent advances in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, particularly submeter resolution microsatellite SAR imagery, to evaluate summertime shoreline dynamics along a highly erosive permafrost coast near Drew Point, Alaska. The research employs a multitemporal analysis framework to extract high-precision shoreline positions from seven microsatellite Umbra SAR images acquired twice a week during the open-water period (June to October) in 2023, complemented by nine conventional Sentinel-1 SAR images. A robust statistical comparison reveals a maximum shoreline change envelope of 64.89 m, with a strong positive correlation between the high-resolution and the conventional SAR-derived estimates, especially in areas of substantial erosion. The study highlights the superior capacity of microsatellite SAR to detect minor coastal changes that are often obscured in coarser resolution data sets. Furthermore, the findings underscore the critical implications of engineering for infrastructure resilience and design in regions affected by permafrost. Enhanced monitoring of shoreline dynamics using high-resolution SAR provides a foundation for proactive risk assessment, adaptive design strategies, and improved maintenance practices in cold region engineering. This study showcases the transformative potential of integrating emerging satellite technologies into engineering solutions essential to safeguarding Arctic infrastructure under a changing climate.
Subjects
Alaska
Change detection
Coastal erosion
Coastline change
Drew Point
Geomorphological process
Remote sensing
Publisher
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Type
journal article