DEM Error Retrieval by Analyzing Time Series of Differential Interferograms

Two-pass differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry processing have been successfully used by the scientific community to derive velocity fields. Nevertheless, a precise digital elevation model (DEM) is necessary to remove the topographic component from the interferograms. This letter presents a novel method to detect and retrieve DEM errors by analyzing time series of differential interferograms. The principle of the method is based on the comparison of fringe patterns with the perpendicular baseline. First, a mathematical description of the algorithm is exposed. Then, the algorithm is applied on a series of four one-day European Remote Sensing 1 and 2 satellite (ERS-1/2) interferograms.