The Importance of SAR Wavelength in Penetrating Blow Sand in Northern Arizona

Multifrequency and polarimetric Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) images of a sand streak in northern Arizona demonstrate the ability of C- (6-cm wavelength), L- (24 cm), and P-band (68 cm) radar signals to backscatter, respectively, from increasingly greater depths reaching 2 m or more in active blow sand. The studied sand streak, located on a salient of Ward Terrace at lat 35°48.4′N and long 111°15.0′W, is sourced in the normally dry Little Colorado River channel and migrates northeastward toward the Moenkopi Plateau Scarp. The sand streak is “radar dark” compared to the “radar-bright” surface of Ward Terrace on all C-band images. It is, however, penetrated completely at P-band and is invisible on these images. The sand streak is recognizable on the LHH image but is poorly defined on the LHV image. High resolution AIRSAR images constitute the primary data set analyzed; in addition, a C-band radar image acquired by the European Remote Sensing (ERS) satellite is also presented. The spaceborne image data confirms the results of the aircraft data at C-band.