This research will investigate the potential of the new generation of 1-meter resolution satellite images for deriving coastlines and detecting and analyzing coastal changes. The objectives are:
to study high resolution satellite coastline mapping potential,
to research new processing techniques for determination of coastlines, and
to analyze the correlation between coastline changes and associated causes and impact in a GIS.

This research investigated the potential of the new generation of 1-meter resolution satellite images for deriving coastlines and detecting and analyzing coastal changes. The objectives are a) to study the potential of high resolution satellite for coastline mapping, b) to research new processing techniques for determination of coastlines, and c) to analyze the correlation between coastline changes and associated causes and impact in a GIS.

A high altitude calibration range was used to assess the mapping potential of the 1-meter satellite imagery. Ground control points and topographic features such as building corner, road intersections, especially line features were surveyed using differential GPS technology to provide ground truth information. Positional differences, error components, and accuracy improvement were studied. A pilot coastline mapping project was carried out on Lake Erie coastline within Ohio. The accuracy of the coastline from the satellite imagery was compared with that from aerial photogrammetry to be conducted by NGS/NOAA. Methods developed in this pilot project will be applied to other Great Lakes or marine coastal regions. The results can be extended to other areas of the nation where changes caused by nearshore shallow water submerged features such as sandbars, coral reefs, submerged wrecks and obstructions have to be delineated by the satellite imagery. Impact analysis of coastline changes was performed based on coastline change/status and other datasets provided by state and local government.

Coastlines have never been stable in terms of their long term and short term positions. The coastline change is usually caused either by natural processes or human activities. Regardless of the causes of the coastline change, it impacts its immediate environment either positively or negatively. With the continuing trend of increasing population and economic activities in coastal zones, coastline mapping and coastline change detection are critical to safe navigation, coastal resource mangement, coastal environmental protection, and sustainable coastal develolpment and planning. A new generation of high resolution (1-meter) satellite imaging systems will be launched in July and December 1997. OSU and NOAA partners (NGS, OCS, and CSC) realized the importance of this unique research opportunity for enhancing the nation's coastline mapping and coastline change detection and analysis capability.

This research project will use the most advanced available high resolution satellite imaging technology for complicated coastline determination and coastline change detection. Overall, this technology will greatly enhance the efficiency and capabilities of coastline mapping and spatial analysis in coastal management. It supports NOAA's Strategic Plan for a) Updating nautical surveys of the Nation's coastlines and coastal areas using full-bottom coverage technologies, b) Building, maintaining and delivering a digital nautical charting, and c) Fostering well-planned and revitalized coastal communities that sustain coastal economics. If successfully completed, this project will provide the first result of coastlines derived from the 1-meter high resolution satellite imagery. This may be the start of the attempt to utilize high resolution satellite imagery and processing techniques to complement and, hopefully, gradually to replace costly aerial photogrammetry for efficient all-weather coastline mapping. The accuracy and update rate of the coastlines generated by this technology open a unique opportunity for quantifying coastal hazards. Particularly, this makes quantitative analysis of the causes and impact of the coastline change possible. Results of the analysis will also be an important contribution to coastal modeling and forecasting.

A high altitude calibration range with approximately 23 target points at London, Ohio will be used to assess the mapping potential of the 1-meter satellite imagery. Ground control points and topographic features such as building corner, road intersections, especially line features will be surveyed using differential GPS technology to provide ground truth information. Positional differences, error components, and accuracy improvement will be studied. An objective estimate of the accuracy of typical topological features will be achieved.

A pilot coastline mapping project will be carried out on Lake Erie coastline within Ohio, from Cleveland through Sandusky. The accuracy of the coastline from the satellite imagery will be compared with that from aerial photogrammetry to be conducted by NGS/NOAA. Coastline changes from periodic satellite survey can be used to detect temporal coastal phenomena such as erosion which affect the coastline. Methods developed in this pilot project will be applied to other Great Lakes or marine coastal regions.

A statistical test will be performed to make sure that there is a significant coastline change existing before any spatial analysis of causes or impact will be conducted. This would reduce the chances that false alarm be made based on noises or false information. Coastline changes caused by erosion will be the focus of the study. Collaborated with CSC, the results will also be extended to other areas of the nation where changes caused by nearshore shallow water submerged features such as sandbars, coral reefs, submerged wrecks and obstructions have to be delineated by the satellite imagery. Impact analysis of coastline changes will be performed based on coastline change/status and other datasets provided by state and local government. Patterns found in erosion causes will be employed to find coastal stretches with similar patterns, where special measures will be taken to prevent the coastal area from being severely eroded.

The accomplishment of this project is published in a hardcopy version of the final report: Li, R., K. Di, G. Zhou, R. Ma, T. Ali and Y. Felus 2001 "Coastline Mapping and Change Detection Using One-Meter Resolution Satellite Imagery" (143 pp). The following lists some major accomplishments of the project:

• Fourteen papers were published in journals and conference proceedings
• Four oral presentations at national and international conferences
• Three Master of Science theses on the project research topics (Gonzalez 1998, Liu 1998, Ali 1999)
• Development of a software system for simulating high-resolution satellite imagery
• Development of the first version of a photogrammetric bundle adjustment system for processing one-meter resolution satellite imagery
• Completion of DGPS survey of the test range at Madison County, Ohio for testing the new one-meter resolution satellite imagery capability
• Completion of tests of the developed software using two data sets, one from an airborne High Resolution Stereo Cameras (HRSC) developed by Germany Space Agency (DLR), and the other from the German MOMS-02P system on board of Russian Space Station MIR. Both systems are three-line sensor system similar to the one-meter resolution satellite sensor IKONOS-I of SpaceImaging in US
• Software for geometric processing of satellite imagery based on the method of RFs (Rational Functions)
• A model developed on ERDAS to extract digital shoreline from the intersection between CTM and water level
• Models developed in GIS to perform environmental analysis (Runoff Model, Sedimentation-Erosion Model, Runoff-phosphorus Model)
• Shorelines extracted from aerial photos, simulated IKONOS imagery, intersection between CTM and water level, T-sheet, USGS DLG and ODNR coastal survey map
• GPS field survey in the Lake Erie research area
• Shorelines from IKONOS one-meter images
• Attraction of National Science Foundation Digital Government Project grant ($1,000,000) for "Digitalization of Coastal Management and Decision Making Supported by Muti-Dimensional Geospatial Information and Analysis"