Mapping impact of urbanization in Shahat-Cyrene (Libya) using a big SAR data approach of change detection with COSMO-SkyMed time series

A novel approach leveraging big Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data from the COSMO-SkyMed constellation has demonstrated high accuracy in mapping the spatial and temporal spread of new buildings and road blocks around Shahat, Libya, threatening the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cyrene. The study analyzed over 180 SAR images collected since 2011 at a resolution of 3 meters, revealing finer details and more precise timelines for urban development compared to traditional methods using Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery. This method's higher spatial resolution and frequent observations (every two weeks) provide critical insights into the rapid and unregulated urbanization impacting Cyrene's archaeological landscape.

Tapete, D., & Cigna, F. (2020). Mapping impact of urbanization in Shahat-Cyrene (Libya) using a big SAR data approach of change detection with COSMO-SkyMed time series. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 509(1), 12056. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/509/1/012056