A comparison between optical and microwave satellite data in monitoring tropical land use changes

Land use assessment is needed for proper planning. Information is needed periodically for the regions which are undergoing rapid changes in terms of urban development and land use changes. To detect land use changes, there is a demand for timely and accurate geographic information. Geographic information can be gathered faster by using the remotely sensed data collected by optical and microwave systems. The main objective of this research was to compare between the capability of optical and microwave radar satellite images in monitoring tropical land use changes in an Indonesian test site (i.e. Bengkulu, South Sumatra)