TOPS Image Quality and Processor Verification Study: Scalloping Reduction

Abstract

The report presents the results from the investigation and simulation of residual scalloping and residual scalloping reduction in the TOPS imaging mode w.r.t. TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1. First, the simulation of the residual scalloping is done by means of an azimuth antenna pattern intensity evaluation w.r.t. single TOPS bursts. Second, two scalloping reduction/correction methods are evaluated and applied to the simulated data. Finally both approaches are applied to real TerraSAR-X raw data or image data, respectively. The results are discussed in the conclusion and a recommendation for Sentinel-1 is presented. This report is the Technical Note 2 on “WP 220 Scalloping Reduction” and on “WP 221 Scalloping Reduction Demonstration with TOPS Processor” in the frame of the ESA/ESTEC Contract: “TOPS Image Quality and Processor Verification Study”. Both belong to the superordinate workpackage “WP 200 Sentinel-1 Image Quality”.