Flood Index-Enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in SAR imagery

This study introduces a flood index-enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping leveraging dual-polarization and bitemporal Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. The proposed model, FIE-Net, introduces two key innovations to improve flood mapping accuracy. First, it inte...

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Main Authors: Wantai Chen, Yinfei Zhou, Xiaofeng Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843225001979
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author Wantai Chen
Yinfei Zhou
Xiaofeng Li
author_facet Wantai Chen
Yinfei Zhou
Xiaofeng Li
author_sort Wantai Chen
collection DOAJ
description This study introduces a flood index-enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping leveraging dual-polarization and bitemporal Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. The proposed model, FIE-Net, introduces two key innovations to improve flood mapping accuracy. First, it integrates the Ratio Image (RI), a primary flood index derived from bitemporal SAR data, which provides a reliable reference for precise inundation area delineation. The index offers a clear, flood-specific signal that enhances segmentation precision. Second, the model employs a dual-branch U-Net framework, augmented with specialized modules to enhance feature extraction and better integrate diverse data sources. This combination enables the model to handle complex flood scenarios more effectively, thereby boosting overall performance. Using data from the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, 16 pairs of representative SAR images from Madagascar’s Tropical Cyclones 2018 AVA and 2023 Cheneso were collected under various terrain conditions. After semi-automatic labeling and cropping, 4350 sample pairs were processed, with 2784/696/870 used for model training/validation/testing. The proposed model achieved the highest Intersection over Union (IOU) of 79.44%, outperforming the state-of-the-art models across all evaluation metrics. The experiments also demonstrate that each introduced innovation contributes to improved accuracy, with the flood index making the most significant impact. Furthermore, the model’s applicability was further confirmed with three independent flooded areas (689 samples, not included in training) from the event Cheneso. IOUs in all three scenes consistently exceeded 75%, underscoring the model’s reliability and robustness in real-world scenarios.
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spelling doaj-art-e2d4954517f2474ca153485736dc92982025-08-20T02:31:22ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation1569-84322025-05-0113910455010.1016/j.jag.2025.104550Flood Index-Enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in SAR imageryWantai Chen0Yinfei Zhou1Xiaofeng Li2Key Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; College of Marine Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Qingdao Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence Oceanography, Qingdao, ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; College of Marine Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Qingdao Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence Oceanography, Qingdao, ChinaKey Laboratory of Ocean Observation and Forecasting and Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; College of Marine Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Corresponding author.This study introduces a flood index-enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping leveraging dual-polarization and bitemporal Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. The proposed model, FIE-Net, introduces two key innovations to improve flood mapping accuracy. First, it integrates the Ratio Image (RI), a primary flood index derived from bitemporal SAR data, which provides a reliable reference for precise inundation area delineation. The index offers a clear, flood-specific signal that enhances segmentation precision. Second, the model employs a dual-branch U-Net framework, augmented with specialized modules to enhance feature extraction and better integrate diverse data sources. This combination enables the model to handle complex flood scenarios more effectively, thereby boosting overall performance. Using data from the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, 16 pairs of representative SAR images from Madagascar’s Tropical Cyclones 2018 AVA and 2023 Cheneso were collected under various terrain conditions. After semi-automatic labeling and cropping, 4350 sample pairs were processed, with 2784/696/870 used for model training/validation/testing. The proposed model achieved the highest Intersection over Union (IOU) of 79.44%, outperforming the state-of-the-art models across all evaluation metrics. The experiments also demonstrate that each introduced innovation contributes to improved accuracy, with the flood index making the most significant impact. Furthermore, the model’s applicability was further confirmed with three independent flooded areas (689 samples, not included in training) from the event Cheneso. IOUs in all three scenes consistently exceeded 75%, underscoring the model’s reliability and robustness in real-world scenarios.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843225001979Synthetic aperture radar (SAR)Coastal inundation mappingDeep learningFlood index
spellingShingle Wantai Chen
Yinfei Zhou
Xiaofeng Li
Flood Index-Enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in SAR imagery
International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation
Synthetic aperture radar (SAR)
Coastal inundation mapping
Deep learning
Flood index
title Flood Index-Enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in SAR imagery
title_full Flood Index-Enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in SAR imagery
title_fullStr Flood Index-Enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in SAR imagery
title_full_unstemmed Flood Index-Enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in SAR imagery
title_short Flood Index-Enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in SAR imagery
title_sort flood index enhanced deep learning model for coastal inundation mapping in sar imagery
topic Synthetic aperture radar (SAR)
Coastal inundation mapping
Deep learning
Flood index
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843225001979
work_keys_str_mv AT wantaichen floodindexenhanceddeeplearningmodelforcoastalinundationmappinginsarimagery
AT yinfeizhou floodindexenhanceddeeplearningmodelforcoastalinundationmappinginsarimagery
AT xiaofengli floodindexenhanceddeeplearningmodelforcoastalinundationmappinginsarimagery