Airborne InSAR Calibration Based on Sensitivity Equations

Inhalt:
Airborne across-track interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) is a suitable technique for the generation of high accurate digital elevation models (DEMs), which has been demonstrated again by the Experimental Airborne InSAR System, developed by Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In order to achieve a high quality DEMs when using such systems operationally, calibration procedures must be applied. This paper firstly presents theoretical models describing the impact of key error contributors on the measured terrain elevation. Then, an iterative calibration algorithm and parameter estimation method is given. Thirdly, in order to determine a preferable calibration scheme, the analyses and validation of calibration algorithm using semi-simulated airborne InSAR data under different combination schemes of parameter biases are provided.