Erik Lintz Christensen

EMISAR: an absolutely calibrated polarimetric L- and C-band SAR

EMISAR is a high-resolution (2/spl times/2 m), fully polarimetric, dual-frequency (L- and C-band) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system designed for remote-sensing applications. The SAR is operated at high altitudes on a Gulfstream G-3 jet aircraft. The system is very well calibrated and has low sidelobes and low cross-polar contamination. Digital technology has been utilized to realize a flexible and highly stable radar with variable resolution, swath width, and imaging geometry. Thermal control and several calibration loops have been built into the system to ensure system stability and absolute calibration. Accurately measured antenna gains and radiation patterns are included in the calibration. The processing system is developed to support data calibration, which is the key to most of the current applications. Recent interferometric enhancements are important for many scientific applications.

The Danish SAR system: design and initial tests

In January 1986, the design of a high-resolution airborne C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) started at the Electromagnetics Institute of the Technical University of Denmark. The initial system test flights took place in November and December 1989. The authors describe the design of the system, its implementation, and its performance. They show how digital technology has been utilized to realize a very flexible radar with variable resolution, swath-width, and imaging geometry. The motion-compensation algorithms implemented to obtain the high resolution and the special features built into the system to ensure proper internal calibration are outlined. The data processing system, developed for image generation and quality assurance, is sketched, with special emphasis on the flexibility of the system. >

Microstrip antenna for polarimetric C-band SAR

The paper outlines the design and the measured performance of a 224-element dual-linearly polarized microstrip array antenna with low cross-polarization. The array is currently being flown on the Danish high-resolution polarimetric C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR).

The Danish polarimetric SAR for remote sensing applications

Presents the Danish polarimetric SAR system, EMISAR, and the approach taken in the system design to achieve a reliable high performance system. The design and implementation of the antenna system as well as the analog and digital hardware are discussed. The SAR utilises a dual polarised microstrip antenna with probe fed patches and the antenna exhibits a modified cosec-squared pattern with high polarisation discrimination. The two transmitted polarisations are time multiplexed at the transmitter and at the dual channel (V- and H-polar) receiver front end while azimuth pre-filtering is implemented by independent circuits for the four parallel channels (VV, VH, HV, and HH). The system has been designed to permit both C- and L-band data to be recorded on the same high density digital tape. The paper presents the performance of the system including measured resolution, peak- and integrated sidelobes, polarimetric channel imbalance and cross-talk.<<ETX>>

A high resolution polarimetric L-band SAR-design and first results

An L-band polarimetric SAR system has been developed as part of the dual frequency (L- and C-band), polarimetric, airborne EMISAR system. The SAR features a unique combination of fine resolution (2/spl times/2 m) and wide swath (9.3 km). The transmitter power is 6 kW. From a flight altitude of 41,000 ft the range of the radar is 64 km with a noise equivalent sigma naught of -20 dB. The antenna is a stacked microstrip patch array with the feed structure on the back side of the antenna panel to reduce unwanted radiation. The cross polar level is below -35 dB. The polarization switch is a relatively conventional PIN diode switch matrix able to sustain the 6 kW peak power from the transmitter still exhibiting low loss (0.3 dB) and high isolation (more than 50 dB). Thus system cross talk (between polarizations) is dominated by antenna cross talk and is some -35 dB. Polarimetric imagery has been acquired over the EMISAR calibration scene: An agricultural site in Denmark featuring a range of different fields and forested areas as well as several trihedrals and dihedrals. Based on the imagery data, sensor performance is assessed. The L- & C-band polarimetric EMISAR instrument is one of the key sensors in the JRC EARSEC initiative aiming at supplying state-of-the-art remote sensing data to European scientists.

Review of the homodyne technique for coherent radar

The merits of using homodyne techniques for coherent radar are examined. The influence of various component deficiencies is discussed with relation to the choice between homodyne and heterodyne. The use of digital IQ signal generation and processing to correct for some of the problems of modulator and demodulator design by predistortion, offset correction, etc. is briefly addressed. A 5.3 GHz synthetic aperture radar designed for strip mapping at high resolution is then considered to illustrate the use of the homodyne approach. Measurement results on quadrature modulators and demodulators at 300 MHz and 5.3 GHz are given to support the contention that the homodyne technique can be applied successfully.<<ETX>>

A new C-band SAR for ERS-1 underflights

A high-resolution airborne C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been designed, built, and tested. The radar design based on digital technology to the largest possible extent, to make the system as adaptable as possible. This has resulted in a very flexible radar with variable resolution, swath width, and imaging geometry. Special attention was paid to system calibration when the system was designed. Design considerations are outlined, selected features are discussed in relation to the implementation (for example, the digital system, the aircraft, the antenna and its installation, and the calibration system), and the first test results are given. The ongoing system developments and project plans are briefly described.<<ETX>>

P-band Polarimetric Ice Sounder: Concept and First Results

ESA has assigned the Technical University of Denmark to develop an airborne P-band ice sounding radar demonstrator. The intention is to obtain a better understanding of the electromagnetic properties of the Antarctic ice sheet at P-band and to test novel ice sounding techniques in preparation for a potential spaceborne ice sounding radar. The airborne system is a coherent, high-resolution and fully polarimetric radar. Aperture synthesis is applied in the along track direction and an experimental surface clutter suppression technique based on a multi-aperture antenna can be applied in the across track direction. In May 2008, a proof-of-concept campaign was organized in Greenland, where data were acquired over the ice sheet. The system proved capable of detecting the bedrock under 3 km thick ice and of mapping the internal ice layers down to a depth of at least 1.3 km. In this paper, the system concept is outlined and first results are presented.

Multiplier-free filters for wideband SAR

This paper derives a set of parameters to be optimized when designing filters for digital demodulation and range prefiltering in SAR systems. Aiming at an implementation in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), an approach for the design of multiplier-free filters is outlined. Design results are presented in terms of filter complexity and performance. One filter has been coded in VHDL and preliminary results indicate that the filter can meet a 2 GHz input sample rate.

The Danish real-time SAR processor: first results

A real-time processor (RTP) for the Danish airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has been designed and constructed at the Electromagnetics Institute. The implementation was completed in mid 1992, and since then the RTP has been operated successfully on several test and demonstration flights. The processor is capable of focusing the entire swath of the raw SAR data into full resolution, and depending on the choice made by the on-board operator, either a high resolution one-look zoom image or a spatially multilooked overview image is displayed. After a brief design review, the paper addresses various implementation and performance issues.<<ETX>>