2,228 research outputs found

    NASA/JPL Aircraft SAR Workshop Proceedings

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    Speaker-supplied summaries of the talks given at the NASA/JPL Aircraft SAR Workshop on February 4 and 5, 1985, are provided. These talks dealt mostly with composite quadpolarization imagery from a geologic or ecologic prespective. An overview and summary of the system characteristics of the L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) flown on the NASA CV-990 aircraft are included as supplementary information. Other topics ranging from phase imagery and interferometric techniques classifications of specific areas, and the potentials and limitations of SAR imagery in various applications are discussed

    River Run Off Measurement With SAR Along Track Interferometry

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    The paper summarizes the need for global space borne river run-off measurements. It reports about an airborne SAR experiment aimed to measure the surface velocity of the river Isar in Bavaria / Germany. The results from two different SAR techniques, including Along Track Interferometry (ATI) show good correspondence. Finally suggestions for further studies are given

    A Review of Crop Height Retrieval Using InSAR Strategies: Techniques and Challenges

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    This article compares the performance of four different interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques for the estimation of rice crop height by means of bistatic TanDEM-X data. Methods based on the interferometric phase alone, on the coherence amplitude alone, on the complex coherence value, and on polarimetric SAR interferometry (PolInSAR) are analyzed. Validation is conducted with reference data acquired over rice fields in Spain during the Science Phase of the TanDEM-X mission. Single- and dual-polarized data are exploited to also provide further insights into the polarization influence on these approaches. Vegetation height estimates from methodologies based on the interferometric phase show a general underestimation for the HH channel (with a bias that reaches around 25 cm in mid-July for some fields), whereas the VV channel is strongly influenced by noisy phases, especially at large incidences [root-mean-square error (RMSE) = 31 cm]. Results show that these approaches perform better at shallower incidences than the methodologies based on coherence amplitude and on PolInSAR, which obtain the most suitable results at steep incidences, with RMSE values of 17 and 23 cm. On the contrary, at shallower incidences, they are highly affected by very low input coherence levels. Hence, they tend to overestimate vegetation height.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, in part by the State Agency of Research, and in part by the European Funds for Regional Development under Project TEC2017-85244-C2-1-P. The work of Noelia Romero-Puig was supported in part by the Generalitat Valenciana and in part by the European Social Fund under Grant ACIF/2018/204

    Contribution to ground-based and UAV SAR systems for Earth observation

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    Mankind's way of life is the main driver of a planetary-scale change that is marked by the growing of human population's demand of energy, food, goods, services and information. As a result, it have emerged new ecological, economical, social and geopolitical concerns. In this scenario, SAR remote sensing is a potential tool that provides unique information about the Earth's properties and processes that can be used to solve societal challenges of local and global dimension. SARs, which are coherent systems that are able to provide high resolution images with weather independence, represent a suitable alternative for EO with diverse applications. Some examples of SAR application areas are topography (DEM generation with interferometry), agriculture (crop classification or soil moisture), or geology (monitoring surface deformation). In this framework, the encompassing objective of the present doctoral work has been part of the implementation and the subsequent evaluation of capabilities of two X-band SAR sensors. On the one hand, the RISKSAR-X radar designed to be operated at ground to monitor small-scale areas of observation and, on the other, the ARBRES-X sensor designed to be integrated into small UAVs. Despite its inherently dissimilar conception, the concurrence of both sensors has been evidenced along this manuscript. By taking advantage of the similarities between them, it has been possible to analogously assess both sensors to obtain conclusions. In this context, the common link has been the development of the polarimetric OtF operation mode of the RISKSAR-X, allowing this sensor to be operated equivalently to the ARBRES-X. Regarding the RISKSAR-X SAR sensor, several hardware contributions have been developed during part of this Ph.D. with the aim of improving the system performance. By endowing the system with the capability to operate in the fully polarimetric OtF acquisition mode, the relative long scanning time has been reduced. It is of great interest since the measured scatterers that present a short term variable reflectivity during the scanning time, such as moving vegetation, may degrade the extracted parameters from the retrieved data and the SAR image reconstruction. During this doctoral activity, it has been studied the image blurring, the decorrelation and the coherence degradation introduced by this effect. Furthermore, a new term in the differential interferometric coherence that takes into account the image blurring has been introduced. Concerning the ARBRES-X SAR system, one of the main objectives pursued during this Ph.D. has been the integration of the sensor into a small UAV MP overcoming restrictions of weight, size and aerodynamics of the platform. The use of this type of platforms is expected to open up new possibilities in airborne SAR remote sensing, since it offers much more versatility than the commonly used fixed wings UAVs. Different innovative flight strategies with this type of platforms have been assessed and some preliminary results have been obtained with the use of the ARBRES-X SAR system. During the course of the present doctoral work, much effort has been devoted to achieve the first experimental repeat-pass interfereometric results obtained with the UAV MP together with the ARBRES-X. Moreover, the sensor has been endowed with fully polarimetric capabilities by applying the improvements developed to the RISKSAR-X radar, which is another example of the duality between both systems. Finally, a vertical and a semicircular aperture have been successfully performed obtaining SLC images of the scenario, which envisages the capability of the UAV MP to perform tomographic images and complete circular apertures in the future. In conclusion, the UAV MP is a promising platform that opens new potentials for several applications, such as repeat-pass interferometry or differential tomography imaging with the realization of almost arbitrary trajectories.El mode de viure de la humanitat és el principal motor d'un canvi a escala planetària que està marcat per la creixent demanda d'energia, d'aliment, de béns, de serveis i d'informació de les poblacions humanes. Com a resultat, han sorgit noves inquietuds ecològiques, econòmiques, socials i geopolítiques. En aquest escenari, la detecció remota SAR és una eina potencial que proporciona informació única sobre les propietats i processos de la Terra que es pot utilitzar per resoldre reptes socials de dimensió local i global. Els SARs, que són sistemes coherents que poden proporcionar imatges d'alta resolució amb independència del temps, representen una alternativa adequada per a l'observació de la Terra. Alguns exemples d'àrees d'aplicació SAR són la topografia (generació de DEM amb interferometria), l'agricultura (classificació de cultius o humitat del sòl) o la geologia (monitoratge de deformació superficial). En aquest context, l'objectiu general del present doctorat ha estat part de la implementació i posterior avaluació de les capacitats de dos sensors SAR de banda X. D'una banda, el radar RISKSAR-X dissenyat per funcionar a terra i monitoritzar àrees d'observació a petita escala i, d'altra, el sensor ARBRES-X dissenyat per ser integrat en petits UAVs. Malgrat la seva concepció inherentment diferent, la concurrència d'ambdós sensors s'ha evidenciat al llarg d'aquest manuscrit. Aprofitant les similituds entre ells, s'han pogut avaluar de forma anàloga els dos sensors per obtenir conclusions. En aquest sentit, el vincle comú ha estat el desenvolupament del mode de funcionament polimètric OtF del RISKSAR-X, permetent que aquest sensor operi de forma equivalent a l'ARBRES-X. Pel que fa al sensor RISKSAR-X, s'han desenvolupat diverses contribucions hardware durant part d'aquest doctorat amb l'objectiu de millorar el rendiment del sistema. En dotar el sistema de la possibilitat d'operar en el mode d'adquisició totalment polarimètric OtF, s'ha reduït el relatiu llarg temps d'escaneig. Això és de gran interès ja que els blancs mesurats que presenten una reflectivitat variable a curt termini, com ara la vegetació en moviment, poden degradar els paràmetres extrets de les dades recuperades i la reconstrucció d'imatges SAR. Durant aquesta activitat doctoral s'ha estudiat el desenfocat de la imatge, la decorrelació i la degradació de la coherència introduïts per aquest efecte. A més, s'ha introduït un nou terme en la coherència interferomètrica diferencial que té en compte el desenfocat de la imatge. Pel que fa al sistema ARBRES-X, un dels principals objectius perseguits durant aquest doctorat ha estat la integració del sensor en un petit UAV MP superant les restriccions de pes, grandària i aerodinàmica de la plataforma. S'espera que l'ús d'aquest tipus de plataformes obri noves possibilitats en la detecció remota SAR aerotransportada, ja que ofereix molta més versatilitat que els UAV d'ales fixes habituals. S'han avaluat diferents estratègies de vol innovadores amb aquest tipus de plataformes i s'han obtingut resultats preliminars amb l'ús del sistema ARBRES-X. Durant el transcurs del present treball, s'ha dedicat molt esforç a assolir els primers resultats experimentals d'interferometria de múltiple passada obtinguts amb l'UAV MP conjuntament amb l'ARBRES-X. A més, el sensor ha estat dotat de capacitats totalment polarimètriques aplicant les millores desenvolupades al radar RISKSAR-X, el qual constitueix un altre exemple de la dualitat entre ambdós sistemes. Finalment, s'han realitzat amb èxit una apertura vertical i semicircular obtenint imatges SLC de l'escenari, el qual permet preveure la capacitat de l'UAV MP per a realitzar imatges tomogràfiques i apertures circulars completes en el futur. En conclusió, l'UAV MP és una plataforma prometedora que obre nous potencials per a diverses aplicacions, com ara la interferometria de múltiple passada o la tomografia diferencial amb la realització de trajectòries gairebé arbitràries

    Contribution to ground-based and UAV SAR systems for Earth observation

    Get PDF
    Mankind's way of life is the main driver of a planetary-scale change that is marked by the growing of human population's demand of energy, food, goods, services and information. As a result, it have emerged new ecological, economical, social and geopolitical concerns. In this scenario, SAR remote sensing is a potential tool that provides unique information about the Earth's properties and processes that can be used to solve societal challenges of local and global dimension. SARs, which are coherent systems that are able to provide high resolution images with weather independence, represent a suitable alternative for EO with diverse applications. Some examples of SAR application areas are topography (DEM generation with interferometry), agriculture (crop classification or soil moisture), or geology (monitoring surface deformation). In this framework, the encompassing objective of the present doctoral work has been part of the implementation and the subsequent evaluation of capabilities of two X-band SAR sensors. On the one hand, the RISKSAR-X radar designed to be operated at ground to monitor small-scale areas of observation and, on the other, the ARBRES-X sensor designed to be integrated into small UAVs. Despite its inherently dissimilar conception, the concurrence of both sensors has been evidenced along this manuscript. By taking advantage of the similarities between them, it has been possible to analogously assess both sensors to obtain conclusions. In this context, the common link has been the development of the polarimetric OtF operation mode of the RISKSAR-X, allowing this sensor to be operated equivalently to the ARBRES-X. Regarding the RISKSAR-X SAR sensor, several hardware contributions have been developed during part of this Ph.D. with the aim of improving the system performance. By endowing the system with the capability to operate in the fully polarimetric OtF acquisition mode, the relative long scanning time has been reduced. It is of great interest since the measured scatterers that present a short term variable reflectivity during the scanning time, such as moving vegetation, may degrade the extracted parameters from the retrieved data and the SAR image reconstruction. During this doctoral activity, it has been studied the image blurring, the decorrelation and the coherence degradation introduced by this effect. Furthermore, a new term in the differential interferometric coherence that takes into account the image blurring has been introduced. Concerning the ARBRES-X SAR system, one of the main objectives pursued during this Ph.D. has been the integration of the sensor into a small UAV MP overcoming restrictions of weight, size and aerodynamics of the platform. The use of this type of platforms is expected to open up new possibilities in airborne SAR remote sensing, since it offers much more versatility than the commonly used fixed wings UAVs. Different innovative flight strategies with this type of platforms have been assessed and some preliminary results have been obtained with the use of the ARBRES-X SAR system. During the course of the present doctoral work, much effort has been devoted to achieve the first experimental repeat-pass interfereometric results obtained with the UAV MP together with the ARBRES-X. Moreover, the sensor has been endowed with fully polarimetric capabilities by applying the improvements developed to the RISKSAR-X radar, which is another example of the duality between both systems. Finally, a vertical and a semicircular aperture have been successfully performed obtaining SLC images of the scenario, which envisages the capability of the UAV MP to perform tomographic images and complete circular apertures in the future. In conclusion, the UAV MP is a promising platform that opens new potentials for several applications, such as repeat-pass interferometry or differential tomography imaging with the realization of almost arbitrary trajectories.El mode de viure de la humanitat és el principal motor d'un canvi a escala planetària que està marcat per la creixent demanda d'energia, d'aliment, de béns, de serveis i d'informació de les poblacions humanes. Com a resultat, han sorgit noves inquietuds ecològiques, econòmiques, socials i geopolítiques. En aquest escenari, la detecció remota SAR és una eina potencial que proporciona informació única sobre les propietats i processos de la Terra que es pot utilitzar per resoldre reptes socials de dimensió local i global. Els SARs, que són sistemes coherents que poden proporcionar imatges d'alta resolució amb independència del temps, representen una alternativa adequada per a l'observació de la Terra. Alguns exemples d'àrees d'aplicació SAR són la topografia (generació de DEM amb interferometria), l'agricultura (classificació de cultius o humitat del sòl) o la geologia (monitoratge de deformació superficial). En aquest context, l'objectiu general del present doctorat ha estat part de la implementació i posterior avaluació de les capacitats de dos sensors SAR de banda X. D'una banda, el radar RISKSAR-X dissenyat per funcionar a terra i monitoritzar àrees d'observació a petita escala i, d'altra, el sensor ARBRES-X dissenyat per ser integrat en petits UAVs. Malgrat la seva concepció inherentment diferent, la concurrència d'ambdós sensors s'ha evidenciat al llarg d'aquest manuscrit. Aprofitant les similituds entre ells, s'han pogut avaluar de forma anàloga els dos sensors per obtenir conclusions. En aquest sentit, el vincle comú ha estat el desenvolupament del mode de funcionament polimètric OtF del RISKSAR-X, permetent que aquest sensor operi de forma equivalent a l'ARBRES-X. Pel que fa al sensor RISKSAR-X, s'han desenvolupat diverses contribucions hardware durant part d'aquest doctorat amb l'objectiu de millorar el rendiment del sistema. En dotar el sistema de la possibilitat d'operar en el mode d'adquisició totalment polarimètric OtF, s'ha reduït el relatiu llarg temps d'escaneig. Això és de gran interès ja que els blancs mesurats que presenten una reflectivitat variable a curt termini, com ara la vegetació en moviment, poden degradar els paràmetres extrets de les dades recuperades i la reconstrucció d'imatges SAR. Durant aquesta activitat doctoral s'ha estudiat el desenfocat de la imatge, la decorrelació i la degradació de la coherència introduïts per aquest efecte. A més, s'ha introduït un nou terme en la coherència interferomètrica diferencial que té en compte el desenfocat de la imatge. Pel que fa al sistema ARBRES-X, un dels principals objectius perseguits durant aquest doctorat ha estat la integració del sensor en un petit UAV MP superant les restriccions de pes, grandària i aerodinàmica de la plataforma. S'espera que l'ús d'aquest tipus de plataformes obri noves possibilitats en la detecció remota SAR aerotransportada, ja que ofereix molta més versatilitat que els UAV d'ales fixes habituals. S'han avaluat diferents estratègies de vol innovadores amb aquest tipus de plataformes i s'han obtingut resultats preliminars amb l'ús del sistema ARBRES-X. Durant el transcurs del present treball, s'ha dedicat molt esforç a assolir els primers resultats experimentals d'interferometria de múltiple passada obtinguts amb l'UAV MP conjuntament amb l'ARBRES-X. A més, el sensor ha estat dotat de capacitats totalment polarimètriques aplicant les millores desenvolupades al radar RISKSAR-X, el qual constitueix un altre exemple de la dualitat entre ambdós sistemes. Finalment, s'han realitzat amb èxit una apertura vertical i semicircular obtenint imatges SLC de l'escenari, el qual permet preveure la capacitat de l'UAV MP per a realitzar imatges tomogràfiques i apertures circulars completes en el futur. En conclusió, l'UAV MP és una plataforma prometedora que obre nous potencials per a diverses aplicacions, com ara la interferometria de múltiple passada o la tomografia diferencial amb la realització de trajectòries gairebé arbitràries.Postprint (published version

    The BIOMASS level 2 prototype processor : design and experimental results of above-ground biomass estimation

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    BIOMASS is ESA’s seventh Earth Explorer mission, scheduled for launch in 2022. The satellite will be the first P-band SAR sensor in space and will be operated in fully polarimetric interferometric and tomographic modes. The mission aim is to map forest above-ground biomass (AGB), forest height (FH) and severe forest disturbance (FD) globally with a particular focus on tropical forests. This paper presents the algorithms developed to estimate these biophysical parameters from the BIOMASS level 1 SAR measurements and their implementation in the BIOMASS level 2 prototype processor with a focus on the AGB product. The AGB product retrieval uses a physically-based inversion model, using ground-canceled level 1 data as input. The FH product retrieval applies a classical PolInSAR inversion, based on the Random Volume over Ground Model (RVOG). The FD product will provide an indication of where significant changes occurred within the forest, based on the statistical properties of SAR data. We test the AGB retrieval using modified airborne P-Band data from the AfriSAR and TropiSAR campaigns together with reference data from LiDAR-based AGB maps and plot-based ground measurements. For AGB estimation based on data from a single heading, comparison with reference data yields relative Root Mean Square Difference (RMSD) values mostly between 20% and 30%. Combining different headings in the estimation process significantly improves the AGB retrieval to slightly less than 20%. The experimental results indicate that the implemented retrieval scheme provides robust results that are within mission requirements

    The NASA AfriSAR campaign: Airborne SAR and lidar measurements of tropical forest structure and biomass in support of current and future space missions

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    International audienceIn 2015 and 2016, the AfriSAR campaign was carried out as a collaborative effort among international space and National Park agencies (ESA, NASA, ONERA, DLR, ANPN and AGEOS) in support of the upcoming ESA BIOMASS, NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) and NASA Global Ecosystem Dynamics Initiative (GEDI) missions. The NASA contribution to the campaign was conducted in 2016 with the NASA LVIS (Land Vegetation and Ice Sensor) Lidar, the NASA L-band UAVSAR (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar). A central motivation for the AfriSAR deployment was the common AGBD estimation requirement for the three future spaceborne missions, the lack of sufficient airborne and ground calibration data covering the full range of ABGD in tropical forest systems, and the intercomparison and fusion of the technologies. During the campaign, over 7000 km2 of waveform Lidar data from LVIS and 30,000 km2 of UAVSAR data were collected over 10 key sites and transects. In addition, field measurements of forest structure and biomass were collected in sixteen 1-hectare sized plots. The campaign produced gridded Lidar canopy structure products, gridded aboveground biomass and associated uncertainties, Lidar based vegetation canopy cover profile products, Polarimetric Interferometric SAR and Tomographic SAR products and field measurements. Our results showcase the types of data products and scientific results expected from the spaceborne Lidar and SAR missions; we also expect that the AfriSAR campaign data will facilitate further analysis and use of waveform lidar and multiple baseline polarimetric SAR datasets for carbon cycle, biodiversity, water resources and more applications by the greater scientific community

    Estimation of change in forest variables using synthetic aperture radar

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    Large scale mapping of changes in forest variables is needed for both environmental monitoring, planning of climate actions and sustainable forest management. Remote sensing can be used in conjunction with field data to produce wall-to-wall estimates that are practically impossible to produce using traditional field surveys. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) can observe the forest independent of sunlight, clouds, snow, or rain, providing reliable high frequency coverage. Its wavelength determines the interaction with the forest, where longer wavelengths interact with larger structures of the trees, and shorter wavelengths interact mainly with the top part of the canopy, meaning that it can be chosen to fit specific applications. This thesis contains five studies conducted on the Remningstorp test site in southern Sweden. Studies I – III predicted above ground biomass (AGB) change using long wavelength polarimetric P- (in I) and L-band (in I – III) SAR data. The differences between the bands were small in terms of prediction quality, and the HV polarization, just as for AGB state prediction, was the polarization channel most correlated with AGB change. A moisture correction for L-band data was proposed and evaluated, and it was found that certain polarimetric measures were better for predicting AGB change than all of the polarization channels together. Study IV assessed the detectability of silvicultural treatments in short wavelength TanDEM-X interferometric phase heights. In line with earlier studies, only clear cuts were unambiguously distinguishable. Study V predicted site index and stand age by fitting height development curves to time series of TanDEM-X data. Site index and age were unbiasedly predicted for untreated plots, and the RMSE would likely decrease with longer time series. When stand age was known, SI was predicted with an RMSE comparable to that of the field based measurements. In conclusion, this thesis underscores SAR data's potential for generalizable methods for estimation of forest variable changes

    Estimating site index from short term TanDEM-X canopy height models

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    The tree height growth from three vegetation seasons was fitted to height growth curves in order to estimate the site index, which is a variable related to forest site productivity. The tree height growth was evaluated for four different cases, in which remote sensing data from TanDEM-X and airborne laser scanning were used. The used method requires a digital terrain model and knowledge about the tree species. Furthermore, the remote sensing data were calibrated using Lorey'smean height heights or airborne laser scanning data. It was found that four annual acquisitions of calibrated TanDEM-X data covering three vegetation seasons could be used for estimating the site index on 27 0.5-ha field plots with 4.4-m (12.1%) RMSE. The site index could in a similarmanner be estimated from only two airborne laser scanning acquisitions, before and after four vegetation seasons, with 2.3-m (6.3%) RMSE

    Summaries of the Sixth Annual JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop

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    The Sixth Annual JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop, held in Pasadena, California, on March 4-8, 1996, was divided into two smaller workshops:(1) The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) workshop, and The Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) workshop. This current paper, Volume 2 of the Summaries of the Sixth Annual JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop, presents the summaries for The Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) workshop
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