Velocity estimates from fully polarimetric SAR

Abstract

Fully polarimetric SAR data provides sufficient information so that some level of feature attribute classification, is usually possible for signatures found in these images. In particular, polarimetric analysis can provide structural information from SAR image signatures for some target types Additionally, although not commonly recognized, there is evidence that polarimetric SAR data collected from systems similar to the C/X SAR (and the future RADARSAT 2) can also provide velocity information. This velocity information is not an attribute of the polarimetric ellipse information, but rather a consequence of the system's data acquisition method and the provision that the reciprocity relationship is assumed. Here, an example is presented which indicates that this velocity information is likely available in polarimetric data. This capability has great potential for classification purposes, since both velocity and structural properties of an imaged feature may be deduced from the same data acquisition. While the velocity estimates may have some limitations compared to Along-Track InSAR systems, this information is readily available from fully polarimetric SAR systems, such as the future RADARSAT 2.