Intensity and phase statistics of multilook polarimetric andinterferometric SAR imagery

Polarimetric and interferometric SAR data are frequently multilook processed for speckle reduction and data compression. The statistical characteristics of multilook data are quite different from those of single-look data. The authors investigate the statistics of their intensity and phase. Probability density function (PDF's) of the multilook phase difference, magnitude of complex product, and intensity and amplitude ratios between two components of the scattering matrix are derived, and expressed in closed forms. The PDF's depend on the complex correlation coefficient and the number of looks. Comparisons of these theoretically derived PDF's are made to measurements from NASA/JPL AIRSAR data. The results of this paper can be applied to feature classification using polarimetric SAR and to the estimation of decorrelation effects of the interferometric SAR     

基于球形截断协方差矩阵的极化SAR分布式目标稳健定标方法

常规的基于分布式目标的定标算法通过假设协方差矩阵满足特定形式,并用样本协方差矩阵来估计失真参数。然而,样本协方差矩阵并非稳定的协方差矩阵估计子。尤其是当场景中包含不满足定标算法要求的目标时,样本协方差矩阵会偏离理想形式,以致失真参数估计精确度下降。球形截断协方差矩阵方法能够有效地抑制离群样本对协方差矩阵估计的影响,该文将其引入到极化SAR的定标中,并对其可行性进行了理论分析。最后,利用机载全极化SAR数据,验证了该方法能够有效地降低失真参数估计的不确定度,从而提高失真参数估计的稳健性。      

CFAR edge detector for polarimetric SAR images

Finding the edges between different regions in an image is one of the fundamental steps of image analysis, and several edge detectors suitable for the special statistics of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) intensity images have previously been developed. In this paper, a new edge detector for polarimetric SAR images is presented using a newly developed test statistic in the complex Wishart distribution to test for equality of covariance matrices. The new edge detector can be applied to a wide range of SAR data from single-channel intensity data to multifrequency and/or multitemporal polarimetric SAR data. By simply changing the parameters characterizing the test statistic according to the applied SAR data, constant false-alarm rate detection is always obtained. An adaptive filtering scheme is presented, and the distributions of the detector are verified using simulated polarimetric SAR images. Using SAR data from the Danish airborne polarimetric SAR, EMISAR, it is demonstrated that superior edge detection results are obtained using polarimetric and/or multifrequency data compared to using only intensity data.     

合成孔径雷达多视图像中4个Stokes参数的统计特性

该文应用散射振幅函数的Wishart联合分布,推导了合成孔径雷达(SAR)多视图像中4个Stokes参数的概率密度函数(PDF)。用视图数和4个Stokes参数的均值解析表达的PDF与现有的R.Touzi和A.Lopes(1996)的结果作了比较。同时,用机载SAR在几个典型区域上的多波段(P,L,C)成像数据验证了4个Stokes参数的理论统计分布,讨论了有效视图数、方差和分布斜度。实验数据与理论分布有相当好的吻合,还讨论了PDF在地表分类中的应用。     

多极化合成孔径雷达数据伪彩色合成处理

本文研究了利用多极化合成孔径雷达(SAR)数据产生极化伪彩色合成图的方法,提出了用M11归一化后得到的Stokes矩阵来产生目标的极化合成孔径雷达伪彩色图的新方法。由于它消除了目标总功率大小对图像色彩的影响,因而可以分析场景回波功率太强或太弱目标与极化特征图具有相同形状的目标。另外,还提出用极化特征图方法求出三种极化组合,使两类目标的回波功率相差达到最大,再合成处理成极化合成孔径雷达伪彩色合成图的方法。     

Polarimetric radar backscattering from reciprocal random targets

Radar backscattering from reciprocal random targets is studied employing a covariance matrix approach. Polarization signatures for backscattered power and correlation observables are derived. Optimal polarization for the power return in two orthogonally polarized radar channels can be determined. Polarizations which extremize mean copolar power can be proved to reduce the correlation of the backscattered wave components exactly to zero. In the case of cross-polar optimal polarizations, a particular correlation difference rather than individual interchannel correlations tends to zero. The utilization of these necessary conditions for the power extrema, furthermore, allows the introduction of an efficient numerical algorithm to compute optimal polarization states for a given target covariance matrix. The presented polarimetric concept is demonstrated to generalize the well-established theory of characteristic polarizations. Analysis of chaff radar data illustrates the efficiency of the outlined approach     

多角度极化SAR图像中的非各向同性散射估计与消除方法研究

通过对不同角度子孔径相干累加,多角度观测SAR可以提供高分辨率影像及多角度散射特征.然而,现有的累加成像方法存在非各向同性散射中心混叠问题.混叠将造成极化特征参数估计无法反映实际的目标物理特征,从而难以支撑分类及变化检测应用.为了去除不同散射中心间的相互干扰并利用不同类型的信息,该文提出了一种多角度极化SAR图像中的非各向同性散射估计与消除方法.该方法给出了基于两类目标假设的最大似然比检验统计量,分析了相干斑影响以及非各向同性散射消除机理,证明了恒虚警判决函数的单调性.通过机载P波段极化SAR进行了360观测试验,分析了非各向同性散射消除前后极化熵的变化,验证了算法的有效性并揭示出在目标特征提取方面的应用潜力.      

Whitening Dual-Polarized Weather Radar Signals With a Hermitian Transformation

Oversampling weather radar signals in range and then whitening these signals has been shown to improve the accuracy of spectral moments. For dual-polarized radar, the polarimetric variables depend upon information gleaned from the cross correlation of the different received signals. Theoretical improvements to the polarimetric variables have been provided to date, but experimental evidence of improvements through whitening has been limited. This paper provides an analysis of the effects of whitening on the estimated cross correlation along with experimental results of whitening applied to polarimetric variables. Different whitening transformations based solely on covariance matrix inversions will be shown to affect the copolar correlation of the whitened data. A Hermitian symmetric whitening transformation will be shown to produce better estimates of polarimetric variables obtained from whitened data than the original whitening transformation defined for use with range oversampling.      

Restoration of polarimetric SAR images using simulated annealing

Filtering synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images ideally results in better estimates of the parameters characterizing the distributed targets in the images while preserving the structures of the nondistributed targets. However, these objectives are normally conflicting, often leading to a filtering approach favoring one of the objectives. An algorithm for estimating the radar cross-section (RCS) for intensity SAR images has previously been proposed in the literature based on Markov random fields and the stochastic optimization method simulated annealing. A new version of the algorithm is presented applicable to multilook polarimetric SAR images, resulting in an estimate of the mean covariance matrix rather than the RCS. Small windows are applied in the filtering, and due to the iterative nature of the approach, reasonable estimates of the polarimetric quantities characterizing the distributed targets are obtained while at the same time preserving most of the structures in the image. The algorithm is evaluated using multilook polarimetric L-band data from the Danish airborne EMISAR system, and the impact of the algorithm on the unsupervised H-α classification is demonstrated     

Radarsat-2全极化SAR车辆目标典型方位特性分析

Radarsat-2卫星可为普通用户提供8 m分辨率全极化SAR影像服务,这为研究基于星载全极化SAR影像的目标检测与监视提供了数据保障。针对此新型星载SAR影像中的车辆目标,本文提出以目标RCS测量和极化分解两种技术相结合的目标特性分析方法,并以同型号、典型方位的大型卡车为例,进行了不同入射角条件下的两次同步实验。利用本文提出的分析方法对实验数据进行了分析,给出了卡车目标在不同成像方式下的极化特性分析结论。为进一步研究基于星载全极化SAR影像的道路交通监测提供了基础。     

A test statistic in the complex Wishart distribution and its application to change detection in polarimetric SAR data

When working with multilook fully polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, an appropriate way of representing the backscattered signal consists of the so-called covariance matrix. For each pixel, this is a 3/spl times/3 Hermitian positive definite matrix that follows a complex Wishart distribution. Based on this distribution, a test statistic for equality of two such matrices and an associated asymptotic probability for obtaining a smaller value of the test statistic are derived and applied successfully to change detection in polarimetric SAR data. In a case study, EMISAR L-band data from April 17, 1998 and May 20, 1998 covering agricultural fields near Foulum, Denmark are used. Multilook full covariance matrix data, azimuthal symmetric data, covariance matrix diagonal-only data, and horizontal-horizontal (HH), vertical-vertical (VV), or horizontal-vertical (HV) data alone can be used. If applied to HH, VV, or HV data alone, the derived test statistic reduces to the well-known gamma likelihood-ratio test statistic. The derived test statistic and the associated significance value can be applied as a line or edge detector in fully polarimetric SAR data also.     

Unsupervised segmentation of polarimetric SAR data using thecovariance matrix

A method for unsupervised segmentation of polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data into classes of homogeneous microwave polarimetric backscatter characteristics is presented. Classes of polarimetric backscatter are selected on the basis of a multidimensional fuzzy clustering of the logarithm of the parameters composing the polarimetric covariance matrix. The clustering procedure uses both polarimetric amplitude and phase information, is adapted to the presence of image speckle, and does not require an arbitrary weighting of the different polarimetric channels; it also provides a partitioning of each data sample used for clustering into multiple clusters. Given the classes of polarimetric backscatter, the entire image is classified using a maximum a posteriori polarimetric classifier. Four-look polarimetric SAR complex data of lava flows and of sea ice acquired by the NASA/JPL airborne polarimetric radar (AIRSAR) are segmented using this technique     

An entropy based classification scheme for land applications ofpolarimetric SAR

The authors outline a new scheme for parameterizing polarimetric scattering problems, which has application in the quantitative analysis of polarimetric SAR data. The method relies on an eigenvalue analysis of the coherency matrix and employs a three-level Bernoulli statistical model to generate estimates of the average target scattering matrix parameters from the data. The scattering entropy is a key parameter is determining the randomness in this model and is seen as a fundamental parameter in assessing the importance of polarimetry in remote sensing problems. The authors show application of the method to some important classical random media scattering problems and apply it to POLSAR data from the NASA/JPL AIRSAR data base     

雷达多视极化检测器性能对比分析

雷达极化检测器性能对比分析可为极化检测器的工程设计提供重要参考,但目前针对其检测性能的评估理论仍不完善,尤其缺乏多视情形下的分析结果.文章以极化雷达多视协方差矩阵的复Wishart分布为基础,采用蒙特卡洛仿真与理论推导得到了7种经典极化检测器的多视检测性能曲线,并构建曲线下面积（Area Under Curve,AUC）指标对检测性能进行自动排序.仿真实验结果表明4视处理时的检测性能排序为:最优极化检测器＞极化白化滤波器≈似然比检验＞最佳能量检测器＞极化匹配滤波器≈多视极化能量检测器＞单通道检测器.理论推导结果表明,具有线性加权形式的极化检测器,其检测与虚警概率都具有两类等价的数学表达式,其中基于Gamma函数的表达式可用于快速计算出恒虚警检测门限.最后采用全极化合成孔径雷达实测数据,对上述结论进行了验证.     

Orientation angle preserving a posteriori polarimetric SAR calibration

Fully polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data analysis has found wide application for terrain classification, land-use, soil moisture, and ground cover classification. Critical to all analyses and applications is accurate calibration of the relative amplitudes of and phases between the various polarimetric channels. Here we propose an a posteriori method imposing only the weakest of constraints, scattering reciprocity, on the polarimetric data. Calibration parameters are self-consistently estimated from full 4/spl times/4 polarimetric covariance matrices. Whilst the complete set of calibration parameters is underdetermined, we give several reasonable heuristic methods to provide a complete calibration. Stronger constraints reduce the number of independent parameters and provide an overdetermined set of equations but at a cost - the loss of polarimetric fidelity when the underlying assumptions are violated. Without recourse to in situ calibration targets, the extent of the polarimetric distortion that results from polarimetric calibration remains unknown. We apply our new method to simulated data, anechoic chamber data and polarimetric SAR imagery. We also present comparisons with alternate calibration methods and different approximate solutions of the new technique.     

On the estimation of radar polarization orientation shifts inducedby terrain slopes

In recent studies, D. L. Schuler et al. (2000) applied polarimetric imaging radar-derived orientation angles to measure topography, and J. S. Lee et al. (2000) used orientation angles for polarimetric SAR data compensation, to ensure accurate estimation of geophysical parameters in rugged terrain areas. To support these applications, it is important to accurately estimate shifts in orientation angles induced by the azimuth slope variations. However, in many cases, inconsistency in the estimation of orientation angle shifts was encountered in several areas, introducing noisy and erroneous results. The present authors develop a unified analysis of estimation algorithms based on the circular polarization covariance matrix. The concept of reflection symmetry is used to explain the soundness of the circular polarization method and to show problems associated with other algorithms. L-band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of Camp Roberts, CA, are used to substantiate this theory     

Optimal speckle reduction for the product model in multilookpolarimetric SAR imagery and the Wishart distribution

Several optimal techniques exist to reduce speckle effects on polarimetric data, e.g. the Linear Minimum Mean Square Error (LMMSE) vector filter for multilook detected data or optimum summations such as the Polarimetric Whitening Filter (PWF) for one look complex data. Among other drawbacks, these standard methods do not preserve full polarimetric data, or they do not use the a priori texture distribution, or they are restricted to one look data. In the simplified case of data satisfying the so-called “product model”, new optimal techniques are described in this paper that are able to reduce speckle effects on multilook data, while preserving fully polarimetric information and texture variations. This “product model” is valid when the scene texture has a large scale of variation and is polarization independent, for instance in K-distributed clutter. Under this assumption, the measured covariance matrix (multilook data) is the product of a scalar random variable μ (the texture) and the covariance matrix C_zh of an equivalent Gaussian homogeneous surface. C_zh is the mean covariance matrix and contains the polarimetric information. A PWF for multilook complex data (MPWF) is proposed and is shown to be related to optimal statistical estimators of the texture (Maximum Likelihood, Maximum A Posteriori, MMSE…) when the complex Wishart distribution is used. The ML estimation of C _zh for textured areas is given and the adaptive filters based on these new tools are described. The results indicate a large speckle reduction. Moreover, the mean values of polarimetric features such as the magnitude and the phase of the HH-VV complex degree of coherence are preserved     

Polarimetric SAR image signatures of the ocean and Gulf Streamfeatures

Polarimetric signatures and related polarimetric properties of microwave ocean backscatter are analyzed for both the ambient ocean and for ocean features such as those associated with the Gulf Stream. Interpretation of the polarimetric signatures for the ocean surface is accomplished using a tilted-Bragg theoretical model. This model is used to calculate the EM fields, to second order, which is necessary to compute the full Stokes matrix and, ultimately, the polarimetric signature. The polarimetric studies lead to a technique for potentially improving the visibility of all azimuthally traveling waves in real-aperture radar (RAR) images and very long waves in synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) images. This technique utilizes linear polarization signatures to maximize the instrument sensitivity to azimuthally traveling waves. Wave tilts create a modulation of the cell polarization orientation which, in turn, modulates the backscatter. Critical to the success of this technique is that the ocean polarimetric signatures be sharply peaked (i.e., returns be highly polarized). The polarimetric contribution to the overall modulation transfer function is evaluated     

全极化合成孔径雷达多视图像的极化特征分析

该文基于乘性相干斑模型,对全极化合成孔径雷达多视图像的极化特征参数(同极化比、交叉极化比和同极化相位差)进行了分析,利用实际的模拟数据对特征参数的PDF进行了拟合测试,分析了多视极化特征参数的统计特性对极化相干斑抑制算法的影响。利用极化比和相位差的特点,对地物进行分类,所得分类精度与利用最优极化分类法的分类精度具有可比性。     

Estimation of the directions of arrival of signals in unknowncorrelated noise. I. The MAP approach and its implementation

The authors propose a method of direction of arrival (DOA) estimation of signals in the presence of noise whose covariance matrix is unknown and arbitrary, other than being positive definite. They examine the projection of the data onto the noise subspace. The conditional probability density function (PDF) of the projected data given the signal parameters and the unknown projected noise covariance matrix is first formed. The a posteriori PDF of the signal parameters alone is then obtained by assigning a noninformative a priori PDF to the unknown noise covariance matrix and integrating out this quantity. A simple criterion for the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate of the DOAs of the signals is established. Some properties of this criterion are discussed, and an efficient numerical algorithm for the implementation of this criterion is developed. The advantage of this method is that the noise covariance matrix does not have to be known, nor must it be estimated