基于去噪的SAR复图像SPIHT压缩算法

提出一种对合成孔径雷达(SAR,Synthetic Aperture Radar)复图像压缩的改进的分层树集合分割(SPIHT,Set Partitioning in Hierarchical Trees)算法,高效完成SAR复图像压缩,既有效地保留了SAR复图像的相位信息,又抑制了斑点噪声.首先根据SAR复图像的统计特征进行预处理,然后进行小波变换,对不同子带的小波变换系数采取不同的门限,进行软门限斑点噪声抑制,再经过SPIHT量化编码,得到压缩后的码流.仿真实验表明,在64倍高压缩比的情况下,通过对重建SAR复图像数据的相位误差、等效视数、平均空域相关系数等指标的测量,验证了该算法仍然具有很好的性能.      

PS-InSAR技术在伯克利山滑坡监测中的应用

针对伯克利山的滑坡问题,利用从1992年到2010年期间获得的大量ERS1/2,Radarsat-1,TerraSAR-X星载雷达数据,提出运用永久散射体(PS-InSAR,Persistent Scatterer Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar)技术,以一幅主图像为基准,与其他SAR图像分别进行差分干涉处理,并限定幅度和相位双重阈值选择PS点,分析其相位在时域空域的频谱特性,最后通过滤波处理提取形变部分,结果成功地定位了伯克利山的滑坡区域,得到了地形的形变速率,为今后的灾害预警打下了基础.     

面向综合环境监测的星载SAR技术发展

针对中国微波遥感对地观测在信息维度、反演精度、观测效率和体系架构等方面存在的问题,基于国家重点研发计划“星载新体制SAR综合环境监测技术”的研究内容与成果,探讨了面向综合环境监测的若干未来星载SAR技术发展。在超大幅宽成像方面,提出分段渐变重频时序设计方案和基于最优线性无偏估计的低过采样变重频数据处理算法,实现了跨盲区大幅宽星载SAR成像;在宽幅星载SAR高灵敏度成像方面,提出中频数字波束合成高效星上实时处理架构和加权因子快速生成算法,采用16通道机载飞行试验数据验证,图像信噪比提升约112dB;在多极化星载SAR成像方面,分别提出一种简缩极化分解算法及混合全极化方位模糊抑制方法,在P/L波段机载飞行试验中得到验证;在高精度干涉SAR技术方面,提出基于改进相位补偿方案的层析SAR处理方法,利用P波段全极化层析SAR数据验证,获得优于0.9m的森林高度反演精度;在综合环境监测星座架构设计方面,针对广域地表高程、地表形变、海浪谱能量、洋流速度和生物量应用,完成品质因数达100的高分宽幅SAR卫星方案,其观测效能和观测维度较目前在轨SAR卫星有大幅提升。     

Space-borne synthetic aperture radar received data simulation based on airborne SAR image data

Starting from airborne SAR image data, a method of simulating space-borne SAR raw received data is proposed, excluding the conventional method of simulating the targets’ back-scattering coefficients through the model of three-dimensional distributed targets. The airborne SAR image data are regarded as space-borne targets’ back-scattering coefficients, and raw data are generated by using space-borne SAR echo signal model. Raw data’s simulation of space-borne SAR can help us to optimum design of space-borne SAR system scheme, test and evaluate the performance of every imaging algorithm, and research motion error from satellite platform having influence on received data and image quality.     

Effects of concurrent snow and cloud cover on planetary albedo

The effects of snow and cloud cover on planetary albedo are examined using observations from NOAA polar orbiting satellites. Reflected radiation was measured in the visible range (0.5 – 0.7 μm). Planetary albedos resulting from different cloud/snow cover conditions are compared using Northern Hemisphere snow cover maps, surface weather charts, satellite photos and data on land surface types. None of the cases studied show that concurrent cloud and snow cover produces significantly different planetary albedos than cloud cover alone. Cloud cover alone is found to yield higher planetary albedos than snow cover alone; the difference being greatest over forested areas. With and without snow cover present, clear-sky planetary albedos over farming and grazing lands (snow(0.45), no snow(0.15)) are found to be significantly higher than those over forested regions (snow(0.33), no snow(0.11)). Variations in satellite zenith angle are not found to produce significant effects in most cases studied.     

一种星载SAR模糊区回波信号仿真方法

模糊度是星载合成孔径雷达(SAR,Synthetic Aperture Radar)星地一体化系统方案设计中的重要技术指标.为了定量化研究模糊度对图像质量的影响,提出了一种星载SAR模糊区回波信号的仿真方法.该方法采用星载SAR模糊区回波信号模型.利用该方法生成包含观测区场景和模糊区场景的星载SAR回波信号,经成像处理后可以获得具有模糊特性的SAR图像.该仿真方法为定量化研究模糊度与图像质量之间的关系提供仿真工具,它能够反映模糊区目标的图形特征,为SAR图像的解译判读提供参考依据.计算机仿真结果验证了该方法的有效性.      

Selection of microwave bands for global snow detection

Microwave radiometers and scatterometers as all-weather and day-and-night sensors are excellent tools for the reliable, regular observation of dynamic features of the surface of the earth. The various hydrologic states, the development of the metamorphism, the water equivalent and other parameters of the snow cover cause a very distinct spectral behaviour of the microwave emission and backscattering.The results of a long-term ground-based investigation of the microwave radiation properties along with classical determinations of the snow parameters during five seasons on an alpine test area allow the definition of an optimum package of microwave passive and active sensors for the global monitoring of the snow cover.Additionally it has been demonstrated that the utilization of the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multi-channel Microwave Radiometer data permit the production of large scale maps of the extent of dry snow, the estimated water equivalent of dry snow and the areas changing between frozen and wet snow.     

Snow depth retrieval by using robust estimation algorithm to perform multi-SNR and multi-system fusion in GNSS-IR

Global Navigation Satellite System Interferometric Reflectometry (GNSS-IR) technology provides a new means of snow depth detection. Multi-satellite and multi-Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) provide more data for daily high-precision snow depth retrieval, but also face the problem of data fusion and effective utilization. Therefore, this study proposes a robust estimation algorithm based on multi-satellite and multi-SNR fusion applied to the observations of a GNSS station in Alaska. This study uses four solutions (S_avg, S_med, S_{RE_avg} and S_{RE_med}) to carry out multi-system fusion snow depth inversion and precision comparison research. The S_avg has more obvious disadvantages, which is not suitable for snow depth assessment. The S_{RE_avg} and S_{RE_med} have better snow depth retrieval effects in the snowy periods. The correlation coefficient (R), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean error (ME) of the calculated snow depth using the robust estimation algorithm with respect to the nearest in-situ measurements reached 0.759, 3.7 cm and ?1.4 cm, respectively. Compared with the S_med, the R is increased by 2.0 %, the RMSE corresponds to an improvement of 2.6 %. Moreover, the ME of the snow depth retrievals, as an indicator of the measurement bias, has significantly decreased by 6.7 %. The result also shows that the snow depth inversion by the robust estimation algorithm is more consistent with the in-situ measurements, further extending and advancing the optimal algorithm for snow depth retrieval.     

基于小波变换的干涉SAR图像的降噪方法

根据干涉合成孔径雷达(SAR)图像的噪声来源和性质以及干涉合成孔径雷达信号处理的特点,选择了具有对称性和紧支性的双正交小波变换应用于干涉SAR图像的噪声抑制,提出了基于小波标架表示的干涉SAR相位图像的降噪算法.与传统的低通滤波器及中值滤波器处理的结果对比显示,利用小波变换方法处理干涉合成孔径雷达图像以提高干涉相位精度的方法是可行的,并且小波变换方法是基于观测数据的自适应算法.      

星载SAR亚马逊雨林辐射定标仿真研究

辐射定标是准确、定量描述星载合成孔径雷达(SAR)系统性能的重要手段.星载SAR在轨运行期间,天线方向图较之发射前可能存在较大的失真,从而严重影响所获取的SAR图像数据质量,因此准确测量在轨飞行时天线俯仰向方向图特性并予以补偿是星载SAR辐射定标的主要内容之一.利用具有均匀后向散射系数特性的分布目标进行外定标是测量双程俯仰向天线方向图的最佳方案,而亚马逊雨林是全球最稳定、最均匀、最平坦的分布目标,后向散射系数几乎不随入射角变化,是公认的理想测试场地.鉴于目前我国尚无自行采集的星载SAR图像数据,我们对星载SAR回波功率仿真、天线方向图模型参数估算进行了深入、系统的研究,利用仿真的亚马逊雨林SAR功率图像成功地实现了星载SAR俯仰向天线方向图在轨测试关键环节的模拟,对我国的星载SAR辐射定标研究具有一定的理论意义和重要的工程实用价值.      

基于星上实时信号处理机的Chirp Scaling算法实现方法

基于改进的Chirp Scaling算法,提出了一种适用于星上实时信号处理机的高效成像处理实现方法,其核心思想也可应用于其它高分辨率星载SAR的精确成像算法.首先介绍了实时信号处理机的结构,分析了数据处理粒度及其并行流水处理结构.在此基础上,针对单个粒度的成像处理重新设计了算法流程,提出了一种高效的实现方法.利用实时信号处理机,对仿真的回波数据进行了成像处理实验,结果表明:在41?s内能够完成成像处理,成像处理速度和图像质量满足系统设计要求,从而验证了该方法的有效性.     

Accuracy analysis of GNSS-IR snow depth inversion algorithms

In recent years, with the continuous development of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), it has been applied not only to navigation and positioning, but also to Earth surface environment monitoring. At present, when performing GNSS-IR (GNSS Interferometric Reflectometry) snow depth inversion, Lomb-Scargle Periodogram (LSP) spectrum analysis is mainly used to calculate the vertical height from the antenna phase center to the reflection surface. However, it has the problem of low identification of power spectrum analysis, which may lead to frequency leakage. Therefore, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectrum analysis and Nonlinear Least Square Fitting (NLSF) are introduced to calculate the vertical height in this paper. The GNSS-IR snow depth inversion experiment is carried out by using the observation data of P351 station in PBO (Plate Boundary Observatory) network of the United States from 2013 to 2016. Three algorithms are used to invert the snow depth and compared with the actual snow depth provided by the station 490 in the SNOTEL network. The observations data of L1 and L2 bands are respectively used to find the optimal combination between different algorithms further to improve the accuracy of GNSS-IR snow depth inversion. For L1 band, different snow depths correspond to different optimal algorithms. When the snow depth is less than 0.8 m, the inversion accuracy of NLSF algorithm is the highest. When the snow depth is greater than 0.8 m, the inversion accuracy of FFT algorithm is higher. Therefore, according to the different snow depth, a combined algorithm of NLSF + FFT is proposed for GNSS-IR snow depth inversion. Compared with the traditional LSP algorithm, the inversion accuracy of the combined algorithm is improved by 10%. For L2 band data, the results show that the accuracy of snow depth inversion of various algorithms do not change with the variations of snow depth. Among the three single algorithms, the inversion accuracy of FFT algorithm is better than that of LSP and NLSF algorithms.     

Analysis of precipitable water vapour characteristics from GNSS measurements during the snow season in Liaoning Province,China

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) remote sensing precipitable water vapour (PWV) data from November 2015 to March 2019 were combined with snowfall observation data and used to analyse PWV characteristics in Liaoning Province during the snow season (from November to March the following year) and their relationship with snowfall. The potential of using GNSS for PWV measurements was demonstrated using sounding data with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.9 and a mean bias error lower than 0.5 mm. According to the GNSS PWV data gathered at 30-min intervals from 68 GNSS stations in Liaoning during the snow season, the monthly PWV average was highest in November and lowest in January. Negative correlations were found between PWV and altitude. Most of the water vapour was concentrated in the low layer of the atmosphere, and the contribution of this vapour to the PWV was higher during the snow season than in summer. A total of 43 snow cases were identified using the snowfall records from 53 GNSS stations, and the characteristics of PWV during these snowfalls were analysed. An increase in PWV was observed before snowfall events. Moreover, the influence of synoptic systems and air mass origins on PWV was analysed based on National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data and the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. The results show that the water vapour condition was better when the synoptic systems or air masses came from areas south of Liaoning.     

Dielectric properties and microwave remote sensing

The importance of the dielectric properties of earth, ocean and snow surfaces in microwave remote sensing is reviewed. Data on dielectric properties of materials in the microwave frequency range are very scarce and their behaviour is not fully understood. In this paper the need for dielectric properties of ocean and snow surfaces, the earth's surface and subsurface materials is discussed for the quantitative and qualitative interpretation of microwave remote sensing data of developing countries.     

Satellite observations of new particle and field signatures associated with SAR arc field lines at magnetospheric heights

Enhancements in thermal ion densities, an oxygen dominated ring current at energies below 17 kev, and invariant latitude-limited bands of intense ELF hiss have been discovered on Stable Auroral Red (SAR) arc field lines at magnetospheric heights. These new signatures were revealed by an examination of 31 coordinated data sets taken simultaneously at magnetospheric and ionospheric heights by the DE-1 and -2 satellites during SAR arc traversals within the period September 1981 through April 1982. Data sets from DE-2, for the first time, provide information on the location of a SAR arc (determined by the F region electron temperature enhancement) during the nearly simultaneous passage of these field lines by DE-1 in the magnetosphere. These new high altitude signatures are examined in the context of possible magnetospheric SAR arc energy source mechanisms.     

SAR图像超分辨与点扩展函数扰动校正算法

推出基于贝叶斯概率公式的SAR(合成孔径雷达)图像超分辨的最大估计(EM)算法,实现SAR图像雷达截面积的重建.本算法成功地将图像场景的先验知识纳入到图像的重建过程之内,有效提高了图像的分辨力,并采用点扩展函数参数化模型,通过估计该模型的参数,抑制点扩展函数扰动的影响.二者结合,有效地实现了SAR图像的超分辨.本算法的关键是构造合理的点扩展函数模型,能够同时拟合SAR图像数据和成像系统参数的相关信息.     

Improvement in the GERB short wave flux estimations over snow covered surfaces

Because space-borne radiometers do not measure the Earth’s outgoing fluxes directly, angular distribution models (ADMs) are required to relate actual radiance measurement to flux at given solar angle, satellite-viewing geometries, surface, and atmospheric conditions. The conversion of one footprint broad-band radiance into the corresponding flux requires therefore one to first characterize each footprint in terms of surface type and cloud cover properties to properly select the adequate ADM.

A snow (and sea-ice) retrieval technique based on spectral measurements from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on board Meteosat 8 is presented. It has been developed to improve the scene identification and thus the ADM selection in the near-real time processing of the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) data at the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium. The improvement in the GERB short wave flux estimations over snow covered scene types resulting from angular conversion using dedicated snow ADMs (e.g., empirical snow ADMs and/or pre-computed theoretical snow ADM) instead of empirical snow-free ADMs is discussed.     

Comprehensive comparison of VHR 3D spatial data acquired from IKONOS and TerraSAR-X imagery

With the launch of very high resolution (VHR) optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing satellites such as IKONOS and TerraSAR-X, a new era has begun in 3D spatial data acquirement. IKONOS provided the first VHR data is still being preferred for many remote sensing applications. TerraSAR-X is considered as a revolution in SAR imaging as a result of 1 m resolution imaging capability. The imaging principles of these satellites are quite different and include advantages and disadvantages that have considerable effects on the quality of acquired 3D spatial data.     

曲线合成孔径雷达迭代算法

研究了曲线合成孔径雷达(SAR,Synthetic Aperture Radar)二维信号模型和三维信号模型,得到了曲线SAR回波信号的数学表达式.将迭代算法应用于曲线SAR, 根据最小化非线性方差准则得到了曲线SAR中RELAX估计算法代价函数,详细研究了二维RELAX估计算法和三维RELAX估计算法的每一个具体步骤,可估计出目标点的散射强度和位置.给出了递推过程,规定了收敛条件,分析了RELAX估计算法的特点和计算量,得出RELAX算法收敛速度快,计算量相对较小,收敛条件苛刻会增加RELAX算法的计算量.研究成果为应用迭代算法提取曲线SAR数据的三维信息提供了指导.     

Exploring the potential of Sentinel-3 delay Doppler altimetry for enhanced detection of coastal currents along the Northwest Atlantic shelf

In this study, we evaluate Sentinel-3A satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) altimeter observations along the Northwest Atlantic coast, spanning the Nova Scotian Shelf, Gulf of Maine, and Mid-Atlantic Bight. Comparisons are made of altimeter sea surface height (SSH) measurements from three different altimeter data processing approaches: fully-focused synthetic aperture radar (FFSAR), un-focused SAR (UFSAR), and conventional low-resolution mode (LRM). Results show that fully-focused SAR data always outperform LRM data and are comparable or slightly better than the nominal un-focused SAR product. SSH measurement noise in both SAR-mode datasets is significantly reduced compared to LRM. FFSAR SSH 20-Hz noise levels, derived from 80-Hz FFSAR data, are lower than 20-Hz UFSAR SSH with 25% noise reduction offshore of 5 km, and 55–70% within 5 km of the coast. The offshore noise improvement is most likely due to the higher native along-track data posting rate (80 Hz for FFSAR, and 20 Hz for UFSAR), while the large coastal improvement indicates an apparent FFSAR data processing advantage approaching the coastlines. FFSAR-derived geostrophic ocean current estimates exhibit the lowest bias and noise when compared to in situ buoy-measured currents. Assessment at short spatial scales of 5–20 km reveals that Sentinel-3A SAR data provide sharper and more realistic measurement of small-scale sea surface slopes associated with expected nearshore coastal currents and small-scale gyre features that are much less well resolved in conventional altimetric LRM data.