Monitoring the persistence of odd and even scatterers in a mixed urban environment using pol-InSAR acquisitions

• Published in: Canadian journal of remote sensing Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 34 - 41
• Main Author: Mattar, K.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 01.02.2013; Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute
• Subjects: Environmental monitoring; Farms; Radar; Remote sensing; Studies; Urban areas; Wetlands; Ottawa Ontario Canada
• ISSN: 0703-8992; 1712-7971
• DOI: 10.5589/m13-006

In the spring of 2010, short coherent stacks of quad-polarimetric RADARSAT-2 and TerraSAR-X datasets were acquired over the western portion of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The site includes urban areas, wetlands, and agricultural fields. Quad polarimetry is an experimental mode on TerraSAR-X, made available for the first time as part of the Dual Receive Antenna Campaign organized by the German Aerospace Centre that spring. Furthermore, the near-coincident RADARSAT-2 and TerraSAR-X collect (in acquisition geometry and time) afforded a unique opportunity for comparison of the two quad-polarimetric modes. This study presents the first results from analysis of this dataset. As the integrity of the cross-polarimetric channels of the TerraSAR-X acquisition was uncertain, the analysis was limited to a comparison of odd and even scatterers in the scene and specifically, examination of the persistence of the odd and even scatterers through the data stack. New channels can be formed by coherently adding and subtracting the co-polarimetric channels. The coherence between these new channels helps distinguish between the persistent odd and even bounce scatterers for improved scene characterization.