Shallow water topography of Subei bank imaged by SAR

In this study, the radar backscatter features of the shallow water topography of Subei bank in the Southern Yellow Sea are investigated using ENVISAT (Environmental Satellite) ASAR (advanced synthetic aperture radar) images. Different bathymetric features are found on SAR imagery, which correspond to sea surface imprints of tidal channels or sand ridges, respectively. Preliminary analysis demonstrates that the ocean current and surface wind, as well as the wave breaking, play a significant role in the SAR imaging of shallow water topography in this region.