Pixel-wise t-test: a new algorithm for persistent building damage detection in synthetic aperture radar imagery

This paper elaborates a new change detection algorithm, the Pixel-Wise T-Test (PWTT), developed to leverage the particular characteristics of war-induced building damage. The algorithm is deployed and tested in several cities damaged during the war in Ukraine. Despite being simple and lightweight, the algorithm produces results with accuracy statistics rival State of the Art methods that use deep learning and expensive high resolution imagery. Furthermore, the workflow is deployed entirely within the Google Earth Engine environment, allowing for the generation of near-real time damage maps that allow humanitarian practitioners to immediately get the count of damaged buildings in a user-specific area of interest.