SAR-UGANDA

Orientated towards a developing country and in complement to UNESCO's GARS transfer programme, the SAR-UGANDA project initiated the usage of SAR interferometry at local geological survey and mines departments in Uganda.

The project has been executed by the RMCA in collaboration with the Geological Survey and Mines Department, Entebbe, Uganda

Uganda is one of the countries in Africa that experiences a rapid growth and many efforts are undertaken to reconstruct infrastructure damaged during many years of civil war. Consequently there is a large demand for accurate and up-to-date topographic and other thematic information. Existing maps are often outdated or non-existent.

Using modern remote sensing and data integration techniques, an attempt was made in the SAR-UGANDA project to create updated maps at a 1:50,000 scale within a relative short period of time. The main technique used was radar interferometry (InSAR) for the creation of Digital Terrain Models using ERS1/2 tandem data complemented with Landsat TM optical images for the thematic information. Field surveys using Differential GPS equipment have been carried out to calibrate the interferometric data products. Calibration involved (horizontal) georeferencing using ground control as well as vertical calibration using the DGPS elevation measurements to correct for the residual tilt in the InSAR DEM's.

The project has lead to the production of a set of maps comprising various thematic prints like DEM, contour lines, updated roads layouts, Landsat TM info, etc. have been produced. They are available on CD-ROM under the MAPINFO format that is commonly used by the African GARS (Geological Application of Remote Sensing) teams, a project involving 6 others country from East-Africa. InSAR technique has been introduced in the Uganda Geological Survey and should be extended to similar project in the area.