Quad-Polarimetric SAR for Detection and Characterization of Icebergs

Abstract

This paper evaluates the performance of fully polarimetric SAR data in iceberg detection and characterization. The study aims to explore the potential of RADARSAT-2 SAR data to detect icebergs and growlers in Svalbard that have broken off from the glaciers nearby. To be able to detect iceberg/growlers in a SAR image, a significant contrast between iceberg and background clutter is required. The sublook cross-correlation magnitude (SCM) is extracted from the complex cross-correlation between subapeture images and contrast between iceberg and sea clutter is measured. The results of target-to-clutter ratio from the SCM indicate that the sublook analysis has an impact on detection performance.