The theoretical performance of different algorithms for shift estimation between SAR images

Abstract

This paper compares several algorithms for shift estimation between SAR images, presenting their performance along with their respective merits and demerits. It shows that there is a parallelism between correlation-based estimators (coherent and incoherent) and two different implementations of split-spectrum methods (Delta-k), both in terms of robustness to interferometric phase variations within the estimation window and in terms of performance. The character of Delta-k estimators is regulated by the amount of multi-looking at interferogram level and is related to the statistical efficiency of the standard estimator for the interferometric phase in case of Gaussian speckle.