Detection of Slope Instability in Hong Kong Based on Multi-baseline Differential SAR Interferometry Using ALOS PALSAR Data

The monitoring of slope instability requires detailed observations of mass movements, which generally cannot be obtained by geodetic methods or global positioning systems (GPS). Differential synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry has proven to be an effective way of measuring land deformation with millimeter accuracy over wide areas. Using data from the newly launched L-band ALOS PALSAR interferometer and the multi-baseline differential SAR interferometry technique, slope instability in Hong Kong was analyzed by means of measured surface displacement along look vectors. Owing to its enhanced vegetation penetration, less temporal decorrelation enabled the L-band data to improve spaceborne radar sensor land-surface deformation measurements. The results were validated by ENVISAT ASAR-derived outcomes and other ground survey data.     

Precise topography- and aperture-dependent motion compensation for airborne SAR

Efficient synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing algorithms are unable to exactly implement the aperture- and topography-dependent motion compensation due to the superposition of the synthetic apertures of several targets having different motion errors and potentially different topographic heights. Thus, during motion compensation, a reference level is assumed, resulting in residual phase errors that impact the focusing, geometric fidelity, and phase accuracy of the processed SAR images. This letter proposes a new short fast Fourier transform-based postprocessing methodology capable of efficient and precise compensation of these topography- and aperture-dependent residual phase errors. In addition to wide beamwidth (very high resolution) SAR systems, airborne repeat-pass interferometry especially benefits from this approach, as motion compensation can be significantly improved, especially in areas with high topographic changes. Repeat-pass interferometric data of the E-SAR system of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach.     

极化SAR图像中非平稳目标的检测与区分方法研究

在合成孔径雷达(SAR)极化测量中,通常认为雷达视角相对于目标是不变的。然而实际上SAR通常具有较宽的方位向波束,在孔径合成过程中,所成的全分辨率SAR图像包含多个斜视角下的目标回波。极化参数的子孔径分析可以用来对成像过程表现出非平稳散射行为的媒质进行检测。本文提出了一套基于子孔径分解和对散射矩阵及参数进行统计分析的方法,来检测两类非平稳目标。仿真结果表明,这种方法具有较好的非平稳目标检测和区分性能。     

雷达影像地表形变干涉测量的机遇、挑战与展望

随着合成孔径雷达(SAR)卫星的不断发射,合成孔径雷达干涉测量技术(interferometric synthetic aperture radar,InSAR)得到前所未有的发展机遇,同时也面临诸多挑战。本文首先简要介绍了SAR卫星发展现状与InSAR技术的基本原理,并系统梳理了干涉图堆叠(InSAR stacking)、小基线集干涉测量(small baseline subset InSAR,SBAS-InSAR)、永久散射体干涉测量(persistent scatterer InSAR,PS-InSAR)、分布式散射体干涉测量(distributed scatterer InSAR,DS-InSAR)和分频干涉测量(split-bandwidth interferometry,SBI)等先进InSAR技术的优缺点。在此基础上,指出目前InSAR技术面临的主要挑战(相位失相干、大气延迟、相位解缠、几何畸变和多维变形测量)及相应的解决方案。进一步从地震、火山、滑坡、地面沉降、冰川运动、人工建构筑物位移变形及大气水汽含量估计等不同的应用场景分析了InSAR技术的应用现状和存在的缺陷。最后,展望目前InSAR的发展趋势,随着更高空间分辨率,更高时间分辨率,更轻小化SAR卫星的不断发展,InSAR技术将会被应用到越来越多的新场景,激励我国雷达影像干涉测量更快发展。     

A comparative data-fusion analysis of multi-sensor satellite images

Remote-sensing data play an important role in extracting information with the help of various sensors having different spectral, spatial and temporal resolutions. Therefore, data fusion, which merges images of different spatial and spectral resolutions, plays an important role in information extraction. This research investigates quality-assessment methods of multisensor (synthetic aperture radar [SAR] and optical) data fusion. In the analysis, three SAR data-sets from different sensors (RADARSAT-1, ALOS-PALSAR and ENVISAT-ASAR) and optical data from SPOT-2 were used. Although the PALSAR and the RADARSAT-1 images have the same resolutions and polarisations, images are gathered in different frequencies (L and C bands, respectively). The ASAR sensor also has C-band radar, but with lower (25 m) resolution. Since the frequency is a key factor for penetration depth, it is thought that the use of different SAR data might give interesting results as an output. This study describes a comparative study of multisensor fusion methods, namely the intensity-hue-saturation, Ehlers, and Brovey techniques, by using different statistical analysis techniques, namely the bias of mean, correlation coefficient, standard deviation difference and universal image quality index methods. The results reveal that Ehlers' method is superior to the others in terms of spectral and statistical fidelity.     

Validation and comparison of Advanced Differential Interferometry Techniques: Murcia metropolitan area case study

This paper is focused on the analysis of the performance of Stable Point Network (SPN) and Coherent Pixel Technique (CPT), which are Advanced Differential Interferometry Techniques (A-DInSAR) that estimate, among other results, mean deformation velocity maps of the ground surface and displacement time series from a SAR dataset. The test site is the metropolitan area of the city of Murcia (Spain) where a moderate slow subsidence induced by the overexploitation of aquifers is present. SAR data acquired between July 1995 and August 2005 from ERS and ENVISAT sensors have been processed by the SPN and CPT techniques and compared with in situ instrumental measurements assumed as reference. Experimental results have shown that both SPN and CPT techniques provide estimates of the deformation evolution in time with an absolute difference below 6 mm consistently in all comparisons: SPN vs extensometer, CPT vs extensometer and SPN vs CPT. The proposed validation and comparison experiment between both A-DInSAR techniques has been useful to observe their differences and complementarities.     

干涉雷达时间序列分析方法在地面沉降监测中的应用

地面沉降已经成为全球性问题，传统的大地测量技术在日益严重的大范围地面沉降监测方面越来越显得难以胜任，新兴的 雷达干涉测量技术正好提供了一种大覆盖、高空间和高时间分辨率的地面沉降监测手段。本文以天津地区为实验区，介绍并实现了 利用PS点的InSAR时间序列分析方法，取得了较好的实验结果。     

一种匹配滤波结合ChirpScalingSAR数字成像处理方法

合成孔径雷达（ＳＡＲ）是一种重要的微波遥感工具。其关键技术是成像处理,即把接收到的雷达信号转换成雷达图像。事实上,合成孔径就是通过成像处理来实现的。该文在总结目前星载ＳＡＲ各种成像处理算法的基础上,提出一种匹配滤波与ＣｈｉｒｐＳｃａｌｉｎｇ相结合的处理方法。处理过程无需插值便可进行距离迁移校正,还可获得好的聚焦与相位保持性能。所得图像质量超过现有的其它ＳＡＲ成像处理方法所得图像质量。     

Assessment of number and distribution of persistent scatterers prior to radar acquisition using open access land cover and topographical data

Persistent scatterer synthetic aperture radar interferometry (PSI) is a powerful remote sensing technique to detect and measure deformation of the Earth‘s crust – such as subsidence and landslides – with an accuracy of a few millimeters. Deformation is measured at specific points in a radar image called persistent scatterers (PS), which are characterized by long-term constant backscattering properties (high coherence) of the radar signal. Reliable PSI processing requires a stack of 15–50 SAR images and more, and processing is time-consuming (computational costs) and expensive (referring to both, costs for the SAR data and labor costs). Previous research for PS assessment used already acquired SAR data. This paper presents two new methods for predicting PS prior to the radar recording of the area of interest using freely available or low-cost land cover data, topographical maps and OpenStreetMap data. In the procedure, the distance between the assessed PS is calculated and classified regarding to the applicability for PSI processing. Additionally, the dispersion of the assessed PS within the site is analyzed. The results of the two assessment methods are validated using data of real PSI processing. Here, we show that the developed PS assessment techniques are fast and reliable tools to test the spatial applicability of PSI.     

The negative alpha filter: a new Processing technique for polarimetric SAR interferometry

In this letter we develop a new concept, the negative alpha filter, which we suggest has application for quantitative estimation of surface parameters beneath vegetation using polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry (POLInSAR). We first derive the filter and then validate it using simulations of L-band coherent forest scattering. We then show initial results of applying the filter to airborne data from the German Aerospace Center's E-SAR L-band sensor.     

Calculating vertical deformation using a single InSAR pair based on singular value decomposition in mining areas

Vertical deformation estimation can be a significant tool in preventing geological hazards and managing environment impacts of underground mining. Common ground surface vertical deformation calculations are challenged by difficult data collection and dependence on prior knowledge. SVD (singular value decomposition) method was applied to estimate ground surface vertical deformation from single pair SAR (synthetic aperture radar) data in a mining region. During the study, LOS (line of sight) and azimuth displacement was obtained using two pass D-InSAR (differential interferometry synthetic aperture radar) and MAI (multi-aperture radar interferometry) technology, respectively. Two adjustment equations were composed using the imaging geometry of D-InSAR and MAI. The singular value decomposition theorem was used to acquire M-P (Moore-Penrose) generalized inverse of the rank deficiency coefficient matrix. From this, the optimal approximation solution of unknown parameters was calculated using weighted least squares. A working panel in the Datong mining area, Shanxi province, China, was selected to verify the SVD approach using the two ascending Sentinel-1A data. The accuracy of vertical deformation estimated by SVD approach is reliable. The RMSE (root mean square error) of vertical deformation is 2.64 mm (along upright profile) and 4.95 mm (along horizontal profile). These results suggest that the SVD approach will complement widely used vertical ground surface deformation calculations. Further study is needed to validate the method from other deformation scenarios from landslides, groundwater loss, earthquakes, underground mining, and glacier movement.     

监测城市基础设施健康的星载MT-InSAR方法介绍

星载合成孔径雷达干涉测量(InSAR)技术是近年来迅猛发展的一种空间对地观测技术,在InSAR基础上提出的多时相InSAR(MT-InSAR)方法,利用同一地区的多景SAR影像对时序稳定点(PS)进行精确分析,极大地降低了大气延迟等带来的测量误差,使得形变监测精度达到了厘米级到毫米级,可对城市基础设施进行大范围高精度的连续监测。本文通过对MT-InSAR技术发展的综述,总结了目前MT-InSAR技术在基础设施健康监测方面的关键问题和应用领域,并对未来MT-InSAR在城市应用方面的发展提出了展望。     

地基SAR干涉测量原理及其形变监测应用研究

详细介绍了地基SAR的基本理论,结合建筑物二维和一维的实测数据,分析了其在距离向和方位向的分辨率以及形变的监测精度,说明了地基SAR在形变监测中的有效性,并对地基SAR今后的应用与发展作了初步展望。     

On the generation of ERS/ENVISAT DInSAR time-series via the SBAS technique

We exploit the small baseline subset (SBAS) algorithm for generating deformation time-series from SAR data acquired by sensors with different characteristics but with the same illumination geometry. In particular, our approach is focused on the use of European Remote Sensing (ERS) and ENVISAT satellite data, the latter acquired by the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar sensor on the IS2 swath. The proposed solution is oriented to investigate large-scale displacements with a relatively low spatial resolution (about 100/spl times/100 m) and implements an easy but effective combination of ERS and ENVISAT multilook interferograms which benefits of the temporal overlap between the acquisitions of the two sensors. Moreover, the algorithm does not rely on specific hypothesis on the spatial or temporal characteristics of the investigated deformations. Presented results, achieved on a synthetic aperture radar dataset relevant to the Napoli city area (Italy), confirm the validity of the approach.     

基于模糊算法的极化SAR影像分类

极化合成孔径雷达（POLSAR）由于其能对目标进行更为全面的极化信息的描述,已经成为SAR领域中最先进的传感器之一。本文对模糊集理论中的三种模糊聚类算法进行了系统全面的阐述,并重点研究了基于模糊可能性C均值算法（FPCM）的极化SAR非监督分类方法。     

Pol-InSAR observations from an Alpine glacier in the cold infiltration zone at L- and P-band

In the frame of the Swiss Alpine Airborne SAR Experiment 2003 (SASARE), multitemporal/multibaseline polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry (Pol-InSAR) datasets were acquired with the German Experimental SAR (E-SAR) platform at L- and P-band in the region of the Aletsch glacier in Switzerland. For SASARE, several sub-test-sites had been selected below and significantly above the equilibrium line. We provide results from the analysis of the multibaseline Pol-InSAR L- and P-band measurements of the polarization-dependent complex interferometric coherence of an Alpine glacier in the cold infiltration zone. Interferometric volume decorrelation is demonstrated as a function of polarization. Conventional polarimetric decomposition techniques confirm the polarization-dependent backscattering properties of the analyzed snow and ice surfaces.     

一种从SAR影像到光学影像的翻译方法

光学传感器在夜晚和云雨天气难以成像,合成孔径雷达（synthetic aperture radar,SAR）虽然能够全天时、全天候工作,但其成像难以理解,对此提出利用SAR影像翻译为光学影像的新思路来弥补二者的缺陷。给出了遥感影像翻译定义,提出一套包含图像理解、目标转换等环节的影像翻译技术流程。通过支持向量机分类、种子填充和基于样本的纹理合成算法等手段实现SAR影像典型目标向光学影像的转换与表达。最后,利用该方法实现了ENVISAT-ASAR转换为Landsat TM,ALOS PALSAR转换为GeoEye的两类影像翻译,并利用SAR影像翻译结果修补光学影像空缺。影像翻译和补缺实验证明了SAR影像翻译为光学影像的可行性和有效性。     

卫星雷达遥感在滑坡灾害探测和监测中的应用:挑战与对策

将卫星雷达遥感应用于滑坡灾害的探测与监测,不仅可以从空间尺度上大范围捕捉到滑坡信号,而且可以从时间尺度上以较长周期追踪滑坡的运动状态。但是,卫星雷达遥感本身的局限性和滑坡所处的复杂地形环境使这一应用面临一些挑战。对卫星雷达遥感技术的4个主要挑战进行了总结与分析,同时给出了相应的解决方案:①通过提高卫星雷达影像的空间、时间分辨率,使用较长波段雷达信号或采用增强型时间序列分析技术,可降低密集植被覆盖对相干性的影响。另外,采用像素点偏移量追踪或距离向分频干涉测量方法,可克服传统干涉测量中大梯度形变引起的相位失相干。②大气延迟对卫星遥感的影响较大,尤其是地处山区的滑坡探测和监测,利用通用型卫星雷达大气改正系统可显著减弱干涉影像的大气信号并进一步简化时间序列分析,提高缓慢运动滑坡的探测和监测质量。③对于中等分辨率的雷达影像而言,利用数字高程模型可提前量化分析雷达几何畸变（如叠掩、阴影等）引发的滑坡探测监测的适用性;而对于高分辨率的雷达影像而言,利用机器学习方法无需外部高分辨率数字高程模型即可精确识别雷达影像的阴影和叠掩区并进行掩膜,从而大幅度提高数据处理效率。④针对高坡度地区残余的地形相位引起的解缠误差,可通过基线线性组合的方法予以减弱。此外,提出了一个基于多源对地观测的滑坡探测/监测系统框架,综合卫星雷达遥感与其他对地观测数据（如地基雷达、激光雷达、全球导航定位系统）,搭建了一个自动化滑坡探测与监测系统。该研究旨在阐明卫星雷达遥感的优缺点,进一步深化其在滑坡灾害监测方面的应用和推广,引出未来侧重发展方向的思考与探讨。     

利用L波段星载重复轨道干涉SAR提取DEM及大气效应分析

以四川省茂县、安县地区的ALOS PALSAR L波段雷达影像为数据源,在对地形复杂区的配准、解缠等算法研究的基础上,结合SAR特有的成像几何结构,对两幅SAR图像进行快速自动配准,配准误差小于0.2个像元;在去除平地引起的干涉相位变化后,运用MCF对缠绕相位进行解缠,在此基础上提取研究区的数字高程模型(DEM),分析发现精度受多种因素影响,其中波长较长的L波段数据比波长较短的时间相关性好,此外为消除大气效应,采用改进的相位累积法去除大气的影响,在一定程度上提高DEM精度。其误差范围在±10m左右,对快速提取地形信息具有一定的借鉴意义。     

甘肃黑方台黄土滑坡InSAR识别、监测与失稳模式研究

采用合成孔径雷达干涉测量（interferometric synthetic aperture radar,InSAR）技术对甘肃黑方台地区潜在的黄土滑坡开展了多时相编目、长时序监测以及失稳模式识别研究。首先,采用不同空间分辨率、不同波长的历史存档合成孔径雷达（synthetic aperture radar,SAR）数据对黑方台地区2006-12至2017-11间的潜在滑坡开展了识别研究,在2006-12至2011-03和2016-01至2016-11两个时间段均识别出数10处不稳定坡体,实地调查和光学遥感影像验证了InSAR技术识别结果的可靠性与准确性。然后,对典型不稳定滑坡体采用高空间与高时间分辨率的TerraSAR-X数据开展了长时序监测,结果表明,在InSAR监测期间,累积形变最大的滑坡体在随后的时间里均发生了滑动,并成功地捕获到滑坡体形变加速的时间点。最后,利用升降轨SAR数据开展了黄土滑坡二维形变监测研究,基于滑坡的二维形变特征并结合地形图以及光学遥感影像进一步研究了滑坡的失稳模式,现场调查结果验证了所获得滑坡失稳模式的准确性。