Abstract
The interferometric imaging radar altimeter (InIRA) is a new generation radar altimeter, which can provide two-dimensional images of the sea surface topography at high resolution along a wide swath. This article proposes a method for the simulation of sea surface images measured by InIRA. First, the Pierson-Moskowitz wave spectrum and two-scale model are used to simulate the sea surface from which elevation data is to be acquired. This simulated sea surface is then divided into small triangular facets using Delaunay triangulation. Second, the backscattering cross sections of these small facets are calculated via application of quasi-mirror scattering theory, and the backscattering coefficient of the simulated region derived via coherent superposition. Third, system parameters are set, consistent with the basic principle of InIRA. Assuming that the signal transmitted is a linear frequency modulation pulse signal, the simulation images are then derived using the range Doppler and back projection algorithms. By inverting the interferometric phase diagram, elevation estimates can be derived, and compared with original simulated sea levels. This demonstrated accuracy within the centimeter range, verifying the correctness and feasibility of the proposed method.
Highlights
O CEAN remote sensing is an important method of marine monitoring and exploration and is a focus of marine science
For a interferometric imaging radar altimeter (InIRA) system with one transmitting, and two receiving antennas, the path length of the signal received by the main antenna is 2rt, whereas that for the signal received by the slave antenna is rt + rr, rather than 2rr
We proposed a simulation method of sea surface topography (SST) imaging for sea surface height (SSH) measurement of InIRA
Summary
O CEAN remote sensing is an important method of marine monitoring and exploration and is a focus of marine science. As an emerging remote sensing information system, interferometric imaging radar altimeter (InIRA) can offer a means to obtain the data of SST with high precision and wide swath [1], [2]. Sui et al [20] proposed a radar echo tracking model to simulate SSH data obtained by the InSAR altimeter system Their result shows that the estimated height accuracy for 1 × 1 km and 2 × 2 km resolutions could achieve centimeter-level measurement. These mentioned works give us an impetus for sea surface imaging simulation of InIRA. It will be used as a supplementary tool for further optimization of imaging mechanism and improvement on SSH measurement accuracy of the InIRA system
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