Man-made Target Detection using Modified Scattering Power Decomposition with a Polarimetric Rotation

Abstract:
This paper presents accuracy improvement of the man-made target detection based on the POLSAR image analysis. We here propose a simple but efficient modification of the scattering power decomposition, by introducing a rotation of the polarimetric matrix. The original polarimetric matrix, which is derived by the actual POLSAR data set acquired by fully or quad. polarimetric SAR system, can be rotated around the radar line-of-sight. Hence, it may be possible by rotating the polarimetric matrix with appropriate rotation angle that the useful marker for detecting man-made targets, i.e. the double-bounce scattering, is emphasized even for obliquely oriented targets. It is confirmed from the POLSAR image analysis that the present approach using the scattering power decomposition with appropriate polarimetric rotation provides us with high accurate man-made target detection, regardless of the direction of their alignment.