Effects of atmospheric precipitations and turbulence on satellite Ka-band synthetic aperture radar

Saverio Mori; Marianna Biscarini; Augusto Marziani; Frank S. Marzano; Nazzareno Pierdicca

doi:10.1117/12.2325616

20 November 2018 Effects of atmospheric precipitations and turbulence on satellite Ka-band synthetic aperture radar

Saverio Mori, Marianna Biscarini, Augusto Marziani, Frank S. Marzano, Nazzareno Pierdicca

Proceedings Volume 10788, Active and Passive Microwave Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring II; 107880E (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2325616
Event: SPIE Remote Sensing, 2018, Berlin, Germany

Abstract

Spaceborne synthetic aperture radars (SARs) operating at L-band and above are nowadays a well-established tool for Earth remote sensing. In this respect, a new frontier of technological and scientific progress is represented by satellite Ka-Band SARs. Since approximately 2010, a number of European Space Agency (ESA) studies have been funded in this direction. The main identified benefit of Ka-band systems is that the short wavelength allows the implementation on a single platform of single-pass interferometry, both cross-track and along-track, with adequate interferometric sensitivity. Ka-band is also interesting due to the low penetration in media such as ice, snow, and vegetation. In principle, the 500 MHz allocation also enables high-resolution measurements. Atmospheric effects represent a severe limitation to Ka-Band SARs. Gases and water particles introduce attenuation and path delay also in clear-sky condition; raindrops also depolarization. Finally, atmospheric turbulence causes scintillation effects. Unfortunately, very few studies and experiments exist at Ka Band. With this general context, the project KaBandSARApp aims to consolidate a Ka-band SAR mission concept, linking user (product-level) observation requirements to mission requirements, and evaluating and highlighting the expected performances for a set of relevant applications. This purpose will be pursued through the development of an End-to-End (E2E) performance tool, where atmospheric effects have been simulated through a Forward Model (FM) of SAR response. This work describes the developed forward model in the general context of atmospheric effects on SAR retrieved signal. A case study relative to a quite common and light cloud (alto-stratus) will be presented and discussed.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Saverio Mori, Marianna Biscarini, Augusto Marziani, Frank S. Marzano, and Nazzareno Pierdicca "Effects of atmospheric precipitations and turbulence on satellite Ka-band synthetic aperture radar", Proc. SPIE 10788, Active and Passive Microwave Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring II, 107880E (20 November 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2325616

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