Ground Moving Target Indication Using an InSAR System With a Hybrid Baseline

In this letter, a two-channel airborne experimental interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) designed for terrain height estimation is exploited to acquire the ability of ground moving target indication (GMTI). Due to the hybrid baseline of this system, the interferometric phase changes with the target motion as well as the terrain height. The fluctuation of the interferometric phase worsens the performance of the clutter suppression and the radial velocity estimation. In order to resolve this problem, a GMTI method with three steps is proposed. After two steps are used to eliminate the local flat-Earth phase and the cross-track interferometric phase of the scene, respectively, an adaptive filtering method is used to suppress the stationary clutter with the benefit of calibrating the sensor responses. A conventional constant false alarm rate detector is then used to indicate the moving targets. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated with real data collected using an experimental airborne InSAR system.      

基于SAR干涉点目标分析技术的城市地表形变监测

通过深入研究干涉点目标的相位模型,提出基于空间搜索的邻近点目标干涉相位差解缠方法,用以计算点目标的地形残差和线性形变,以及分离点目标大气延迟相位和非线性形变相位的时空域滤波方法,解决干涉点目标分析中的关键问题.最后,以苏州地区地表沉降监测为应用试验,利用形成的SAR干涉点目标形变信息提取技术,获取苏州市区1992-2002年间的地表沉降信息.研究结果与已有文献记录保持比较好的一致性,证明SAR干涉点目标技术完全可以发展成为应用于城市地表形变监测的实用化技术.

Abstract：

Interferometric point target analysis (IPTA) is one of the latest developments in radar interferometric processing. It is achieved by analysis of the interferometric phases of some individual point targets, which are discrete and present temporarily stable backscattering characteristics, in long temporal series of interferometric SAR images. This paper analyzes the interferometric phase model of point targets, and then addresses two key issues within IPTA process. Firstly, a spatial searching method is proposed to unwrap the interferometric phase difference between two neighboring point targets. The height residual error and linear deformation rate of each point target can then be calculated, when a global reference point with known height correction and deformation history is chosen. Secondly, a spatial-temporal filtering scheme is proposed to further separate the atmosphere phase and nonlinear deformation phase from the residual interferometric phase. Finally, an experiment of the developed IPTA methodology is conducted over Suzhou urban area. Totally 38 ERS-1/2 SAR scenes are analyzed, and the deformation information over 3 546 point targets in the time span of 1992-2002 are generated. The IPTA-derivecl deformation shows very good agreement with the published result, which demonstrates that the IPTA technique can be developed into an operational tool to map the ground subsidence over urban area.     

Topographic correction of ALOS-PALSAR images using InSAR-derived DEM

Topographic corrections of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images over hilly regions are vital for retrieval of correct backscatter values associated with natural targets. The coarse resolution external digital elevation models (DEM) available for topographic corrections of high resolution SAR images often result into degradation of spatial resolution or improper estimation of backscatter values in SAR images. Also, many a times the external DEMs do not spatially co-register well with the SAR data. The present study showcases the methodology and results of topographic correction of ALOS-PALSAR image using high resolution DEM generated from the same data. High resolution DEMs of Jaipur region, India were generated using multiple pair SAR images acquired from ALOS-PALSAR using interferometric (InSAR) techniques. The DEMs were validated using differential global positioning system measured elevation values as ground control points and were compared with photogrammetric DEM (advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer – ASTER) and SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) DEM. It was observed that ALOS-PALSAR images with optimum baseline parameters produced high resolution DEM with better height accuracy. Finally, the validated DEM was used for topographic correction of ALOS-PALSAR images of the same region and were found to produce better result as compared with ASTER and SRTM-DEM.     

基于临时相干目标监测非城区地表形变

永久散射体干涉测量技术(PSInSAR)地表形变监测能力受限于稳定散射体的空间分布密度,在PS点稀疏的非城区不再有效。本文基于临时相干目标(temporarily coherent targets,TCT)局部时序高相干性和在非城区广泛分布的特点,提出改进算法以解决该难题。该算法通过顾及季节性周期变化筛选干涉对以保留TCT信息,并利用双阈值联合筛选法提取TCT,采用多次差分挖掘、分离TCT相位,最后反演得到TCT形变速率和高程修正量。利用TCT算法,采用24景Sentinel-1A卫星影像提取了靖边县2014-10-23—2016-05-09期间地表形变信息。通过PSInSAR的对比验证,表明临时相干目标时序分析方法能显著提高非城区监测目标空间分布密度并能有效地监测非城区地表形变。     

Glacier surface velocity estimation using SAR interferometry technique applying ascending and descending passes in Himalayas

In this study ascending and descending passes interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) techniques are used for glacier surface velocity estimation in the Himalaya. Single-track interferometric measurements are sensitive to only a single component of the three dimensional (3-D) velocity vectors. European Remote Sensing satellites (ERS-1/2) tandem mission data in ascending and descending tracks provide an opportunity to resolve the three velocity components under the assumption that glacier flow is parallel to its surface. Using the surface slope as an essential input in this technique the velocity pattern of Siachen glacier in Himalaya has been modelled. Glaciers in the Himalayan region maintain excellent coherence of SAR return signals in one-day temporal difference. As a result we could obtain spatially continuous surface velocity field with a precision of fraction of radar wavelength. The results covering the main course of glacier are analysed in terms of spatial and temporal variations. A maximum velocity of 43 cm/day has been observed in the upper middle portion of the glacier. This technique has been found accurate for monitoring the flow rates in this region, suggesting that routine monitoring of diurnal movement Himalayan glaciers would be immensely useful in the present day context of climate change.     

相对轨道根数的重轨InSAR卫星基线分析与控制

星载重轨干涉SAR卫星在高程测绘和形变测量中有着全天时全天候和大范围的优势,其中干涉基线是决定干涉性能的重要指标,而卫星重访轨道对干涉基线起着决定性的作用。通过对现有高分三号干涉数据轨道参数的分析,发现干涉基线相比国外先进卫星过长且稳定性有待提高。本文通过对相对轨道根数和机动控制的分析,得到满足重轨干涉SAR系统要求的稳定基线。以第一次观测的轨道为参考轨道,基于在摄动情况下重复观测轨道与参考轨道的相对轨道根数,计算得到重轨干涉基线的变化规律,并对不同纬度的观测目标进行了样例分析。在基线变化规律的基础上,利用机动速度和相对轨道根数的关系,进一步计算得到满足基线状态需求的机动控制方法。通过实际数据分析,给出了相对轨道根数变化对初始理想构型的影响,验证了重轨干涉基线变化规律符合本文的分析,并利用仿真样例给出了使得重轨干涉基线达到预期要求的机动控制方案。实际数据和仿真实验表明该模型能够通过可长时间观测并准确获得的轨道根数直接计算基线状态,并能从干涉基线需求出发,快速准确的得出对卫星的控制策略。     

一种机载双天线InSAR干涉参数定标新方法

干涉参数定标对于机载双天线InSAR系统的大面积高精度数字高程模型获取具有重要意义。为了高效地进行干涉参数定标,从双天线InSAR获取DEM的基本原理出发,构建一种考虑干涉相位偏置、基线长度和基线水平角三个参数的定标新模型,设计该定标模型的未知参数解算方案。利用GPS实测的高程控制点对中国科学院电子学研究所自主研制的机载双天线InSAR系统进行了干涉参数定标实验,统计利用定标后干涉参数反演地面高程的误差,验证该干涉参数定标模型及解算方案。     

基线抖动对干涉SAR 相位的影响

提出并分析了基线抖动造成的干涉SAR 相位误差模型。基于干涉SAR 基线抖动模型, 分为水平抖动和 垂直抖动, 推导了存在基线抖动情况下辅天线复图像信号模型及基线抖动带来的干涉相位误差公式, 分析了基线 抖动对成像质量和干涉相位的影响, 针对SRTM 系统进行了计算机仿真。通过基于基线抖动的干涉SAR 原始回波 数据计算, 仿真了点目标和面目标场景的回波信号, 并进行成像得到了复图像和干涉条纹, 仿真结果验证了理论分 析的正确性。     

城市扩展强度及其地表热特性遥感定量分析

城市化将自然景观转变为不同土地利用的城市景观,改变了地表的物理特性。因此,有关城市扩张及其对环境的影响的准确信息具有广泛的应用价值。利用遥感技术监测土地利用变化成为城市环境研究的重要内容,然而利用遥感技术定量提取城市扩展及其强度的定量信息仍存在许多挑战。本文提出了定量确定城市扩展范围及其发展强度的新方法——地图密度指数。并以中部城市——长沙为例,利用Landsat TM/ETM+数据定量评价了城市扩张及其热环境特征的变化。首先,集成遥感光谱指数提取地表非渗透表面,然后利用移动窗口算法获得地图密度指数,再根据设定的阈值获得密度指数等级图,依此密度指数等级图识别城市扩展范围及其发展强度。再结合地表温度反演的数据,分析了城市格局及其变化与地表热特性变化的定量关系。结果表明,自1990年代以来,长沙市城市区域及其发展密度显著增加,城市发展的密度差异与地表温度相一致。 地图密度指数能较好刻画城市扩展范围及其发展强度,并与地表温度空间分布存在较好的对应关系。     

Synergistic Fusion of Interferometric and Speckle-Tracking Methods for Deriving Surface Velocity From Interferometric SAR Data

This letter presents a technique to adjust and unify disconnected interferogram fringe regions for the derivation of accurate surface-velocity measurements. The interferogram from repeat-pass interferometric synthetic aperture radar data is often partitioned by shear margins of ice streams and other low-coherence zones into many small disconnected fringe regions. Although these isolated fringe regions can be unwrapped separately, the unwrapped phase for each region is referenced to a different seed point. Our technique exploits absolute range-offset measurements from the speckle-tracking method to bridge the isolated fringe regions in the interferogram. In this way, the unwrapped phases in these regions can be adjusted into consistent surface-displacement measurements with a common reference point. Using Radarsat interferometric data in Antarctica, we demonstrated that the synergetic fusion of the measurements from the interferometric and speckle-tracking methods can produce a highly accurate two-dimensional velocity field     

基于功率和相位联合估计TLS-ESPRIT算法的极化干涉SAR数据分析

在推导各散射信号功率计算方法的基础上,提出基于功率和干涉相位联合估计的TLS-ESPRIT方法。因为干涉图像中的各主散射波和干涉相位能被分别估计,所以该算法可以利用同一分辨单元中不同散射机制后向散射信号功率的不同,将干涉相位分类实现散射中心分离。该方法通过提取两个占优势的相位得到两个高度,从而分别检测出森林的植被层和地表,特别是当散射波不相关并有不同的极化特性时,该方法有较好的性能,从而提高植被高度参数的估计精度。详细阐述该方法的原理和实施步骤,并通过对SIR-C/X-SAR的L波段实际数据进行分析处理,验证算法的有效性。     

验潮站坐标时间序列特性分析

文中以298个验潮站作为研究对象,采用广义高斯-马尔科夫模型(GGM)、自回归滑动平均模型(ARMA)以及分形自回归聚合滑动平均模型(ARFIMA)三种模型,对验潮站坐标时间序列噪声模型特性及海平面变化趋势进行估计分析,并探讨了时间跨度对验潮站速度估计的影响.实验结果表明:验潮站坐标时间序列主要呈现为ARFIMA(1,...     

Modeling minimum and maximum detectable deformation gradients of interferometric SAR measurements

A new functional model for determining the minimum and maximum detectable deformation gradients of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) is developed. The model incorporates both the interferometric coherence and the look number, representing an extension to the existing models that consider only the interferometric coherence. Experimental results with Envisat ASAR data show that the new model performs well for interferograms with different look numbers and interferometric coherences. The model can serve as an important tool in determining whether InSAR technology can be used effectively to monitor a particular ground deformation. In addition, the model can also be used to determine the optimum look number for multi-looking operations to result in the best deformation monitoring results.     

Stochastic modeling for time series InSAR: with emphasis on atmospheric effects

Despite the many applications of time series interferometric synthetic aperture radar (TS-InSAR) techniques in geophysical problems, error analysis and assessment have been largely overlooked. Tropospheric propagation error is still the dominant error source of InSAR observations. However, the spatiotemporal variation of atmospheric effects is seldom considered in the present standard TS-InSAR techniques, such as persistent scatterer interferometry and small baseline subset interferometry. The failure to consider the stochastic properties of atmospheric effects not only affects the accuracy of the estimators, but also makes it difficult to assess the uncertainty of the final geophysical results. To address this issue, this paper proposes a network-based variance–covariance estimation method to model the spatiotemporal variation of tropospheric signals, and to estimate the temporal variance–covariance matrix of TS-InSAR observations. The constructed stochastic model is then incorporated into the TS-InSAR estimators both for parameters (e.g., deformation velocity, topography residual) estimation and uncertainty assessment. It is an incremental and positive improvement to the traditional weighted least squares methods to solve the multitemporal InSAR time series. The performance of the proposed method is validated by using both simulated and real datasets.     

Mapping forest biomass from space – Fusion of hyperspectral EO1-hyperion data and Tandem-X and WorldView-2 canopy height models

Spaceborne sensors allow for wide-scale assessments of forest ecosystems. Combining the products of multiple sensors is hypothesized to improve the estimation of forest biomass. We applied interferometric (Tandem-X) and photogrammetric (WorldView-2) based predictors, e.g. canopy height models, in combination with hyperspectral predictors (EO1-Hyperion) by using 4 different machine learning algorithms for biomass estimation in temperate forest stands near Karlsruhe, Germany. An iterative model selection procedure was used to identify the optimal combination of predictors. The most accurate model (Random Forest) reached a r² of 0.73 with a RMSE of 14.9% (29.4 t/ha). Further results revealed that the predictive accuracy depended highly on the statistical model and the area size of the field samples. We conclude that a fusion of canopy height and spectral information allows for accurate estimations of forest biomass from space.     

干旱—半干旱地区地表特征探测的成像雷达干涉测量方法与模型

从估测干涉测量雷达数据相关性出发，通过利用欧洲资源卫星1号和2号获取的重轨干涉测量雷达数据，开展新疆喀什试验区地表土地类型的识别与分类，区分和识别出裸土，盐碱地，灌丛，裸岩/戈壁，沼泽和水体6类土地类型。并对不同土地类型的后向散射特性和相关性进行定量分析。探讨干涉测量数据相关性干旱-半干旱地区地表特征的关系，从而建立了干旱-半干旱地区地表变化的干涉测量时相关模型。为干旱-半干旱地区利用干涉测量数据进行地表变化监测提供理论依据。     

Multibaseline Polarimetric SAR Interferometry Coherence Optimization

This letter analyzes different approaches for polarimetric optimization of multibaseline (MB) interferometric coherences. Two general methods are developed to simultaneously optimize coherences for more than two data sets. The first method provides every data set with a distinct dominant scattering mechanism (SM). The second optimization method is constrained to use equal SMs at all data sets. As the experimental results indicate, MB coherence optimization does improve the accuracy in the estimation of dominant SMs and the associated interferometric phases. Both methods are evaluated on real data acquired by the German Aerospace Agency (DLR)'s enhanced synthetic aperture radar sensor (ESAR) at L-band.     

顾及地形因素的S-RVOG模型和PD相干最优算法联合反演植被高度

针对极化干涉SAR植被高度反演中RVOG模型未考虑地形影响,且三阶段算法受到地面相位估计误差和纯体相干性估计误差影响,提出了一种植被高度反演思路,采用考虑地形因素的S-RVOG模型作为反演模型校正地形影响,同时引入PD相干最优算法用于改善三阶段算法中直线拟合地表相位估计和纯体相干性估计精度。为验证算法的有效性,首先采用欧空局提供的PolSARpro软件模拟了不同地形坡度水平的PolInSAR数据进行仿真试验,然后采用德国宇航局提供的E-SAR机载全极化SAR数据进行真实植被场景测试,并进行了定性和定量分析。结果表明,本文方法对于不同坡度水平数据,均能有效改善传统RVOG反演模型中地形影响和三阶段算法自身误差影响,反演精度更高。     

极化SAR干涉测量模拟研究

极化SAR干涉测量将极化测量技术和干涉测量技术巧妙地结合，能够提高干涉测量精度，尤其是在植被覆盖的情况下，不仅能够测量地表地形，而且使得估计植被高度成为可能。因此，近几年来国际上对极化SAR干涉测量技术的研究越来越重视，极化SAR干涉测量已成为SAR应用技术发展的重要方向。通过模拟技术深入研究极化SAR干涉测量理论和方法，并提出了一种新的极化SAR干涉测量改进算法，模拟实验结果表明，该算法可以进一步提高测量精度。     

基于Kalman滤波的InSAR基线估计方法

针对目前SAR干涉测量中基线估计现存的问题,提出了利用Kalman滤波和配准参数进行基线估计的方法.所提出的方法具有不需地面控制点、不受地形限制和不依赖于轨道参数等优点,并可以估计时变的基线参数.利用南京地区的ERS-1/2 tandem数据进行了试验研究,并对提出的方法进行了验证.结果表明,在精确的卫星轨道数据和地面控制点不能获取时,所提出的方法仍能有效地估计InSAR基线.这在一定程度上补偿了轨道偏移带来的误差,为获取高精度的DEM奠定了基础.