Geomorphologic land classification map of the Mekong Delta utilizing JERS‐1 SAR images

Flood damage in the Mekong Delta is currently influenced by population growth and the expansion of farmland. The objectives of this study are to describe a method for visualizing flooded areas, classify the geomorphology of the area, and develop a flood‐risk map of the Mekong Delta using Japanese earth resources satellite‐1 synthetic aperture radar (JERS‐1 SAR) data. JERS‐1 SAR data‐processing involves geo‐referencing, image‐noise reduction, re‐sampling, and calculation of the normalized radar cross‐section (NRCS) using TNTmips. Furthermore, we visualized the flooded area of the Mekong River Delta and discussed flood dynamics. The relation between NRCS and micro‐geomorphology was clarified using the geomorphologic land classification map. After evaluating flood risk, we developed a flood‐risk map to visualize the evaluated risk. The differences in NRCS derived from JERS‐1 SAR data were calculated before and after flooding; visualization of the flooded area revealed that the difference between the two datasets was less than − 1·8 (dB). This value was determined from field investigations. We then compiled a map of the flooded area. The relation between NRCS and geomorphology was clarified based on the geomorphologic land classification map. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.