Simulation-based recognition of airplane signatures from TerraSAR-X data

Abstract

Recognition of medium scaled objects like airplanes with current high resolution spaceborne SAR image data is, in most cases, impossible due to restrictions in available spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, radar specific imaging effects like layover, multi-path propagation or speckle noise make signature analysis a very challenging task. Recently, a SAR simulator has been developed to assist image operators in signature anal-ysis and recognition. Additionally, TerraSAR-X initiated a new staring spotlight imaging mode improving spatial resolution significantly. This paper will show the benefits of applying simulation-based recognition of airplanes on this imaging mode in comparison to the existing image products.