Dual-beam interferometry for ocean surface current vector mapping

The recent use of along-track interferometry (ATI) in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has shown promise for synoptic measurement of ocean surface currents. ATI-SARs have been used to estimate wave fields, currents, and current features. This paper describes and analyzes a dual-beam along-track interf...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Frasier, Stephen J., Camps Carmona, Adriano José|||0000-0002-9514-4992
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2001
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/1458
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/1458
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Interferometry
Remote sensing
airborne radar
oceanographic techniques
remote sensing by radar
synthetic aperture radar
SAR
airborne method
along-track interferometer
along-track interferometry
azimuthal displacement
dual-beam interferometry
dynamics
measurement technique
moving surface
ocean
radar interferometry
radar remote sensing
surface current
synoptic measurement
vector mapping
vector surface velocity
Interferometria
Sensors remots
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria de la telecomunicació::Radiocomunicació i exploració electromagnètica::Teledetecció
Descripción
Sumario:The recent use of along-track interferometry (ATI) in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has shown promise for synoptic measurement of ocean surface currents. ATI-SARs have been used to estimate wave fields, currents, and current features. This paper describes and analyzes a dual-beam along-track interferometer to provide spatially resolved vector surface velocity estimates with a single pass of an aircraft. The design employs a pair of interferometer beams, one squinted forward and one squinted aft. Each interferometric phase is sensitive to the component of surface Doppler velocity in the direction of the beam. Therefore, a proper combination of these measurements provides a vector surface velocity estimate in one pass of the aircraft. The authors find that precise measurements dictate widely spaced beams and that the spatial resolution for the squinted SAR is essentially identical to the sidelooking case. Practical instrument design issues are discussed, and an airborne system currently in development is described. Through computer simulation, they observe the azimuthal displacement of interferometric phases by moving surfaces identical to those of conventional SAR and find that such displacement can bias the estimated surface velocity.