A `free´ 3-dB cross-polarized SAR data

It is proposed that by merging the complex signals available from both of the cross-polarized receive channels of a time-multiplexed coherent polarimetric radar, an effective doubling of the signal-to-noise ratio in the cross-polarized component can be realized with no increase in transmitter power, as compared to the more conventional method of using only one channel. A spectral analysis of the merged sequence is presented showing advantages unique to this approach with applications in reflectivity measurement and channel phase calibration