Extracting water body data based on SDWI and threshold segmentation: A case study in permafrost area surrounding Salt Lake in Hoh Xil, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

Researchers demonstrate that the Sentinel-1 dual-polarized water index (SDWI), combined with threshold segmentation, is an effective and efficient method for extracting water body data in permafrost areas, particularly under cloudy conditions. Using SAR imagery from 22 August 2022, the study successfully mapped the Hoh Xil Salt Lake and its surrounding lakes on China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), where optical remote sensing was hindered by clouds. The findings highlight SDWI's superiority over single-polarized VV or VH images, offering a robust alternative for large-scale water monitoring in fragile ecosystems like the QTP. This approach mitigates cloud-related errors and supports environmental impact prediction and disaster mitigation efforts.

Du, Q., Li, G., Chen, D., Qi, S., Zhou, Y., Wang, F., & Cao, Y. (2023). Extracting water body data based on SDWI and threshold segmentation: A case study in permafrost area surrounding Salt Lake in Hoh Xil, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Research in Cold and Arid Regions, 15(4), 202–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcar.2023.08.002