how do you define synthetic-aperture radar polarimetry and polarimetric SAR interferometry?
Dr Cloude: I would say that the development of SAR Polarimetry is as important to radar imaging as colour was to television. SAR Polarimetry provides three channels of information, which can be used to dramatically improve the quality of images of the Earth’s surface from space. Polarimetric Interferometric SAR adds 3-D information to this “colour” imaging process, allowing us to view the Earth’s surface in three dimensions with colour relief. The impact of this on earth observation can best be appreciated by first noting that radar operates day and night and in all types of weather. By then collecting multiple signal returns as the radar platform is in motion, a large equivalent antenna size or aperture can be synthesised using computer-processing techniques and the resulting synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image used to provide high-resolution spatial information. By combining these features we obtain a unique capability to provide images under very difficult circumstances, such as th
