Analysis of Polarization-Sensitive Backscattering Characteristics of RCM Transponders

Abstract

Modern spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems used for earth observation are capable of acquiring high resolution data while using polarimetry. To ensure the data quality, the various polarimetric channels must be calibrated as accurately as possible by using passive and active reference targets (for example corner reflectors and transponders) with well known backscattering properties. DLR’s SAR Calibration Center has designed and has manufactured two transponders with flexible polarization for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM). In this talk the results of polarization-sensitive measurements performed with both RCM transponders were presented. It turned outthat the measurements, especially for the imbalances between the cross-polarized channels, are extremely sensitive to the alignment of the target in azimuth.