Coherent Change Detection (CCD) for Safeguards Applications

The Canadian Safeguards Support Program (CSSP) is actively investigating techniques to exploit synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery for nuclear safeguards. One specific SAR analysis technique used for surface change detection is coherent change detection, or CCD. We explain the operating principle of CCD and illustrate its benefits using examples from the literature and from some preliminary experiments carried out under the Canadian Safeguards Support Program using the RADARSAT sensor. Using repeat observations, CCD can detect disturbance of terrain that may be invisible to optical sensors. Depending upon resolution, wavelength, terrain type, and time interval, disturbances ranging from open pit mining activity to footsteps of individuals can be detected.