Remote sensing with synthetic aperture radar

Abstract

Next to conventional optical remote sensing, radar remote sensing is the second most important modality for Earth observation with imaging sensors. This holds in particular, when the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology is used, as it provides high-resolution images from large distances, which are not obstructed by lack of sunlight or bad weather conditions. Adding the option of coherent signal processing, enabling not only precise statistical modeling of the measurements, but also advanced observation techniques such as SAR interferometry, provides a powerful complement to optical data. This chapter summarizes the most important concepts of SAR remote sensing to provide the reader with the necessary prerequisites to enjoy the remaining technical contributions of this book.