Using the Pauli Scattering Mechanisms for Analysis of Polarimetric SAR Images from RADARSAT Constellation and TanDEM-X Missions

Abstract

This article describes techniques for extraction of information in polarimetric images from RADARSAT constellation mission (RCM) and TanDEM-X (TDX) and TerraSAR-X (TSX) satellites. Using the boundary conditions of Maxwell's equations it is shown how the single bounce and double bounce scattering can be extracted from quad-pol and compact polarimetric (CP) SAR. We develop new equations to calculate the Pauli decomposition from simulated CP data using RCM quad-pol data. The RCM CP option is circular transmit, linear receive. We find that using quad-pol data performs better than using CP data for Pauli decomposition, especially extraction of the HV component. Estimation of single bounce and double bounce scattering from RCM CP data is feasible and yields more information about scattering properties than the CP components alone. We show how more information can be extracted from bistatic TSX/TDX quad-pol data by estimation of the coherence of the different Pauli components and optimization of the interferometric coherence using ships as detection objects. This is a unique opportunity to use optimized coherence on moving ships for characterizing their structure.