Generalized-K (GK)-Based Observation of Metallic Objects at Sea in Full-Resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Data: A Multipolarization Study

An electromagnetic model, based on the generalized-K (GK) speckle distribution, has been developed to read the scattering features associated with metallic objects at sea in full resolution single-look complex (SLC) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. The sensitivity of the GK parameters is investi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE journal of oceanic engineering 2011-04, Vol.36 (2), p.195-204
Main Authors: Ferrara, G, Migliaccio, M, Nunziata, F, Sorrentino, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Backscatter
Electromagnetic model
Marine
Marine vehicles
Mathematical models
polarimetry
Polarization
Scattering
Sea measurements
Sea surface
Sensitivity
ship detection
Synthetic aperture radar
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Summary:An electromagnetic model, based on the generalized-K (GK) speckle distribution, has been developed to read the scattering features associated with metallic objects at sea in full resolution single-look complex (SLC) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. The sensitivity of the GK parameters is investigated in both copolarized and cross-polarized SAR data. It is shown that a proper combination of GK parameters exhibits a completely different behavior with respect to sea surface with and without metallic objects, when measured over cross-polarized SAR data. As a matter of fact, a simple and very effective approach to observe metallic objects in full resolution SLC cross-polarized SAR data, is proposed. Experiments undertaken over a large data set consisting of RADARSAT-2 SLC fine quad polarization SAR data, confirm model predictions, and show that the proposed approach is both physically-based and operationally effective, since it is able to provide a logical true and false output.
ISSN:0364-9059
1558-1691
DOI:10.1109/JOE.2011.2109491