LORAM – A SAR/GMTI Data Collection Campaign

Abstract:
The French-Swedish multi-frequency radar experiment LORAM was conducted during September to October 2004 in southern Sweden. The main objective was to evaluate airborne SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) and GMTI (Ground Moving Target Indication) modes for detection of stationary and moving ground targets. A comprehensive data set was successfully co-registered by the airborne radar sensors CARABAS-II and LORA from FOI and RAMSES operated by ONERA. The imaging of several controlled stationary and dynamic ground scenarios will allow various studies across frequency bands in the interval 20 MHz to 10 GHz, e.g. evaluating ways to fuse SAR imagery and GMTI information to provide surveillance and targeting information. Some flight missions were made to collect forest clutter statistics over an area where extensive ground truth data are available. This data set is also of interest in the application of forest parameter retrieval and characterization based on radar remote sensing, e.g. biomass estimation and single tree identification. So far, the radar data gathered during the campaign have been examined in terms of radar image generation and quality checks. Work on the detailed data analyses is now in the process to start as part of the bilateral LORAM research program.