Evaluating Influencing Factors on Liqui-InSAR Derived Bathymetry in Dynamic Aquatic Environments: A Case Study of Lake Limboto, Indonesia

This research investigates the application of Liqui-InSAR for bathymetric mapping in Lake Limboto, focusing on the accuracy and reliability of SAR-derived bathymetry under the influence of surface currents and wind. Two scenarios were considered: one including the effects of these oceanographic parameters (L+), and the other excluding them (L-). Through a combination of visual analysis, correlation assessments, and path profile comparisons, the study found that both scenarios exhibited similar correlation with reference bathymetry data, with R values of approximately 0.411 and R2 values of around 0.169. This suggests that the inclusion of surface currents and wind has a minimal impact on the predictive accuracy of SAR-derived bathymetry in this context. However, significant discrepancies between the SAR data and reference bathymetry were observed, primarily in regions affected by environmental factors such as the transition from water to land and high levels of Total Suspended Solids (TSS). These factors, more than oceanographic parameters, were found to influence the SAR signal, introducing noise and reducing coherence. The results highlight the challenges of using SAR bathymetry in complex aquatic environments, where sediment concentration and environmental changes play a larger role in accuracy. While Liqui-InSAR shows potential for bathymetric mapping, further refinement is needed to improve its precision in dynamic and sediment-rich environments.