SAR image of the Strait of Malacca

Section of the Strait of Malacca where shallow sandbanks are located. At the bottom of the image the coast of Sumatra is visible and at the top the coast of Malaysia. The irregular features in the lower part of the image are sea surface manifestations of sandbanks. The tidal flow, which at the time of the SAR data acquisition was directed eastwards, is modified by the sandbanks. This leads to a change in sea surface roughness over the sandbanks which is detectable by SAR. The sandbanks in this region are only a few meters deep, and some of them even fall dry at low tides. The shipping lane is located north of this area.