Analysis of ground moving objects using SRTM / X-SAR data

Abstract

The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) was flown in February 2000 to map the world's land mass with high accuracy, using two Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems. Spaceborne single-pass across-track SAR interferometry was used for the first time. The mechanical configuration of the interferometer formed both an across-track and a small along-track baseline between the antennas in the cargo bay of the space shuttle and at the tip of the deployable boom. SAR Along-Track Interferometry (ATI) is sensitive to ground motion and was recently proposed for traffic monitoring applications. Due to the along-track baseline, SRTM data currently offer the unique opportunity to study the effects of moving objects on high-resolution spaceborne SAR ATI data. This paper presents an analysis of moving vehicles in SRTM/X-SAR ATI data as well as application examples, and describes specific SAR processing techniques for vehicle detection and velocity measurement.