Geological interpretation of radar images

Side-looking airborne radar systems (SLAR), which produce fair quality images of the earth’s surface, have been developed over the past twenty years. These systems provide synoptic information over large areas with great speed. In regions where constant cloud cover prevents or hampers aerial photography, radar can be a source of valuable information: however, in less adverse weather conditions and at larger scales single radar images, until quite recently the normal presentation, cannot compete with conventional, stereoscopically viewed aerial photographs. It has now become common practice to take parallel strips with a large, 30–60%, overlap and scanned from the same direction. In this way a stereoscopic effect may be obtained, which considerably improves the interpretation possibilities of such radar images. The same analytical techniques used in photo-geology can also be applied to radar-interpretation. In order to obtain optimal results, the geologist who interprets radar images should have some understanding of radar operation.