Abstract
In 2012, a research project initiated at the British Geological Survey used space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery to investigate the environmental changes affecting the drainage basin of Río Grande and its tributaries, in Southern Peru. Our research has provided evidence of the effects due to natural and anthropogenic processes on the cultural landscape where the Nasca Civilization flourished centuries ago. This chapter provides an overview of the new insights brought by satellite SAR technology to the understanding of land use and changes in the fertile river valleys, condition of local water resources, and archaeological heritage. Impacts of this research are discussed in relation to the rejuvenation of the water supply system and preservation of cultural identity.
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Acknowledgments
This research was initiated and led by Dr. F. Cigna, in collaboration with Dr D. Tapete. ENVISAT ASAR data were made available by the European Space Agency (ESA) through Category-1 project Id.11073 (PI: F. Cigna), and TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X data from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) via the TSX-Archive-2012 LAN1881 project (PI: D. Tapete). Data processing was carried out using GAMMA SAR and Interferometry Software licensed to the British Geological Survey (BGS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The authors publish with the permission of the Executive Director of BGS, NERC.
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Cigna, F., Tapete, D. (2016). Satellite SAR Remote Sensing in Nasca. In: Lasaponara, R., Masini, N., Orefici, G. (eds) The Ancient Nasca World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47052-8_21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47052-8_21
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