This book introduces readers to the polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) system, its information processing, and imaging applications. The content is divided into three main parts: Part I, on the research scope of PolSAR, addresses the underlying theory and system design, polarimetric SAR interferometry (PolInSAR), compact PolSAR, and calibration of PolSAR. Part II, which focuses on information processing, highlights the new theories and methods used in PolSAR, such as statistical properties analysis for images, speckle reduction, image enhancement, polarimetric target decomposition, and classification of PolSAR target detection. In turn, Part III, on the applications of polarimetric SAR, discusses the geophysical parameter retrieval of PolSAR data, polarimetric interferometric SAR information processing, compact polarimetric interferometric SAR information processing, and the effects of terrain tilt in azimuth direction on PolSAR data. The book provides a comprehensive and systematic guide to the system, integrating theory and practice, and has a highly application-oriented focus. Presenting new theories, methods and achievements made in polarimetric microwave imaging in recent years, it offers a valuable asset for researchers, engineers and scientists in the area of remote sensing and radar imaging. It can also be used as a reference book for university educators and graduate students.

The recent launches of three fully polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) satellites have shown that polarimetric radar imaging can provide abundant data on the Earth’s environment, such as biomass and forest height estimation, snow cover mapping, glacier monitoring, and damage assessment. Written by two of the most recognized leaders in this field, Polarimetric Radar Imaging: From Basics to Applications presents polarimetric radar imaging and processing techniques and shows how to develop remote sensing applications using PolSAR imaging radar. The book provides a substantial and balanced introduction to the basic theory and advanced concepts of polarimetric scattering mechanisms, speckle statistics and speckle filtering, polarimetric information analysis and extraction techniques, and applications typical to radar polarimetric remote sensing. It explains the importance of wave polarization theory and the speckle phenomenon in the information retrieval problem of microwave imaging and inverse scattering. The authors demonstrate how to devise intelligent information extraction algorithms for remote sensing applications. They also describe more advanced polarimetric analysis techniques for polarimetric target decompositions, polarization orientation effects, polarimetric scattering modeling, speckle filtering, terrain and forest classification, manmade target analysis, and PolSAR interferometry. With sample PolSAR data sets and software available for download, this self-contained, hands-on book encourages you to analyze space-borne and airborne PolSAR and polarimetric interferometric SAR (Pol-InSAR) data and then develop applications using this data.

Polarimetric rotation domain interpretation is an innovation in radar image processing and understanding. Orientation rotation is a basic operator well known in the classic polarimetry theory, and significant advancement has been made in recent years. This book presents new and advanced concepts, theories, and methodologies in radar polarimetry and bridges the gaps between target scattering diversity, polarimetric radar data, and their practical applications. It provides a comprehensive summarization and investigation of polarimetric rotation domain features and demonstrates novel applications of polarimetric radar target detection, classification, target structure recognition, and urban damage mapping. FEATURES Focuses on basic concepts, key techniques, and various applications of the polarimetric rotation domain interpretation paradigm for the first time in book form Explains, represents, and utilizes the radar target scattering diversity effect Identifies new methods for target polarimetric scattering mechanism understanding Provides a comprehensive investigation of polarimetric roll-invariant features Includes novel application developments for imaging radar target detection, structure recognition, and damage mapping This book is written for researchers and professionals in radar polarimetry, radar imaging, microwave remote sensing, environmental studies, and other related fields. Senior undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as teachers in the same fields, will benefit from the advancements highlighted in this book.

Radar polarimetry has been highly sought after for its use in the precise monitoring of Earth's surface. Polarimetric SAR Imaging explains the basic concepts of polarimetry and its diverse applications including: deforestation, tree classification, landslide detection, tsunamis, volcano eruptions and ash distribution, snow accumulation, rice field monitoring, urban area exploration, ship detection, among other applications. The explanations use actual data sets taken by Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS and ALOS2). With the increasing problems presented by climate change, there is a growing need for detailed earth observation using polarimetric data. As the treatment of vector nature of radar waves is complex, there is a gap between the theory and the application. Polarimetric SAR Imaging: Theory and Applications addresses and fills this gap. Features: Provides cutting-edge polarimetric applications for earth observation with full color images. Includes detailed descriptions of theory, equations, expansions, and flowcharts, and numerous real examples. Explains concepts, data analysis, and applications in simple and clear language aimed at an intuitive comprehension. Provides specific and unique examples of PolSAR images derived from actual space and airborne systems (ALOS/ALOS2, PiSAR-x/L) Covers the wide range of the radar polarimetry, especially the decomposition of the polarimetry data, an original method developed by the author using the Japanese polarimetric SAR data Illustrated in full color using images generated by polarimetric techniques, this book is easy to understand and use for both student and expert, and is an excellent resource both in the classroom and in the field.

Radar polarimetry has been highly sought after for its use in the precise monitoring of Earth's surface. Polarimetric SAR Imaging explains the basic concepts of polarimetry and its diverse applications including: deforestation, tree classification, landslide detection, tsunamis, volcano eruptions and ash distribution, snow accumulation, rice field monitoring, urban area exploration, ship detection, among other applications. The explanations use actual data sets taken by Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS and ALOS2). With the increasing problems presented by climate change, there is a growing need for detailed earth observation using polarimetric data. As the treatment of vector nature of radar waves is complex, there is a gap between the theory and the application. Polarimetric SAR Imaging: Theory and Applications addresses and fills this gap. Features: Provides cutting-edge polarimetric applications for earth observation with full color images. Includes detailed descriptions of theory, equations, expansions, and flowcharts, and numerous real examples. Explains concepts, data analysis, and applications in simple and clear language aimed at an intuitive comprehension. Provides specific and unique examples of PolSAR images derived from actual space and airborne systems (ALOS/ALOS2, PiSAR-x/L) Covers the wide range of the radar polarimetry, especially the decomposition of the polarimetry data, an original method developed by the author using the Japanese polarimetric SAR data Illustrated in full color using images generated by polarimetric techniques, this book is easy to understand and use for both student and expert, and is an excellent resource both in the classroom and in the field.

This book demonstrates the capabilities of passive microwave technique for enhanced observations of ocean features, including the detection of (sub)surface events and/or disturbances while laying out the benefits and boundaries of these methods. It represents not only an introduction and complete description of the main principles of ocean microwave radiometry and imagery, but also provides guidance for further experimental studies. Furthermore, it expands the analysis of remote sensing methods, models, and techniques and focuses on a high-resolution multiband imaging observation concept. Such an advanced approach provides readers with a new level of geophysical information and data acquisition granting the opportunity to improve their expertise on advanced microwave technology, now an indispensable tool for diagnostics of ocean phenomena and disturbances.

Introduction to Microwave Remote Sensing offers an extensive overview of this versatile and extremely precise technology for technically oriented undergraduates and graduate students. This textbook emphasizes an important shift in conceptualization and directs it toward students with prior knowledge of optical remote sensing: the author dispels any linkage between microwave and optical remote sensing. Instead, he constructs the concept of microwave remote sensing by comparing it to the process of audio perception, explaining the workings of the ear as a metaphor for microwave instrumentation. This volume takes an “application-driven” approach. Instead of describing the technology and then its uses, this textbook justifies the need for measurement then explains how microwave technology addresses this need. Following a brief summary of the field and a history of the use of microwaves, the book explores the physical properties of microwaves and the polarimetric properties of electromagnetic waves. It examines the interaction of microwaves with matter, analyzes passive atmospheric and passive surface measurements, and describes the operation of altimeters and scatterometers. The textbook concludes by explaining how high resolution images are created using radars, and how techniques of interferometry can be applied to both passive and active sensors.

A one-stop tutorial for beginners covering the fundamentals of microwave imaging, including application examples and practical exercises.

This book is concerned with remote sensing based on the technology of imaging radar. It assumes no prior knowledge of radar on the part of the reader, commencing with a treatment of the essential concepts of microwave imaging and progressing through to the development of multipolarisation and interferometric radar, modes which underpin contemporary applications of the technology. The use of radar for imaging the earth’s surface and its resources is not recent. Aircraft-based microwave systems were operating in the 1960s, ahead of optical systems that image in the visible and infrared regions of the spectrum. Optical remote sensing was given a strong impetus with the launch of the first of the Landsat series of satellites in the mid 1970s. Although the Seasat satellite launched in the same era (1978) carried an imaging radar, it operated only for about 12 months and there were not nearly so many microwave systems as optical platforms in service during the 1980s. As a result, the remote sensing community globally tended to develop strongly around optical imaging until Shuttle missions in the early to mid 1980s and free-flying imaging radar satellites in the early to mid 1990s became available, along with several sophisticated aircraft platforms. Since then, and particularly with the unique capabilities and flexibility of imaging radar, there has been an enormous surge of interest in microwave imaging technology. Unlike optical imaging, understanding the theoretical underpinnings of imaging radar can be challenging, particularly when new to the field.

This thesis presents a groundbraking methodology for the radar international community. The detection approach introduced, namely perturbation analysis, is completey novel showing a remarkable capability of thinking outside the box. Perturbation analysis is able to push forward the performance limits of current algorithms, allowing the detection of targets smaller than the resolution cell and highly embedded in clutter. The methodology itself is extraordinary flexibe and has already been used in two other large projects, funded by the ESA (European Space Agency): M-POL for maritime surveillance, and DRAGON-2 for land classification with particular attention to forests. This book is a perfectly organised piece of work where every detail and perspective is taken into account in order to provide a comprehensive vision of the problems and solutions.