Contribution of L band SAR data for identification of buried/paleochannels in Jaisalmer region of Rajasthan, India

Imaging of the subsurface in the arid area is one of the well-known application of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology due to the deeply penetration of the longer wavelengths in the sand. In this study, we have investigated the buried/paleochannels signatures in the Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India using the penetration capabilities of the Microwave data particularly at L band. High resolution Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) data has been used for the subsurface understanding in the desert area of the Jaisalmer, India. Here, around 20 km northeast direction from the main city, we traced the channels concealed in the Aeolian sediments around Jaisalmer. The paleochannel system drains in the southwest while the main channel approach northward. After the identification of the paleochannel though SAR technology, a ground base technique called Ground penetrating radar (GPR) was used for the verification of the subsurface penetration results. Authentication has been done by using the systematic ground investigation to collect scientific evi-dence in the Jaisalmer area. Moreover, these results offer new insight about the identification of buried channels in the paleoenvironment context in the Thar desert area.(c) 2022 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study investigates the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology for subsurface imaging in the Jaisalmer area of India. The results reveal buried and paleochannel signatures using microwave data at the L band. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is employed for verification, and scientific evidence is collected through systematic ground investigation. This research provides new insights into the identification of buried channels in the Thar desert area.