Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms

A groundbreaking study leverages synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from both airborne and satellite platforms to detect and measure landscape disturbances threatening the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Nasca and Palpa, home to the iconic Nasca Lines. The research demonstrates that even pedestrian-scale disturbances are discernible using L-band SAR correlation images, while C-band SAR data from ESA’s Sentinel-1 satellites offers high-resolution insights into landscape changes with a repeat pass interval as short as six days. This allows for precise identification of disturbance time windows (1–3 weeks) without compromising spatial coverage. The study also introduces pixel value stretching techniques and statistical methods to quantify and validate landscape changes, providing a robust framework for monitoring archaeological sites and ecosystems under threat.

Comer, D., Chapman, B., & Comer, J. (2017). Detecting Landscape Disturbance at the Nasca Lines Using SAR Data Collected from Airborne and Satellite Platforms. Geosciences, 7(4), 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences7040106