The modified beta density function as a model for synthetic aperture radar clutter statistics

The authors show that the modified beta distribution function is an adequate model for the underlying distribution function of the random variable used to model synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) image data. The model represents a range of SAR returns from different sea ice types by using a simple change in its parameter. The ability is explained by describing the distribution functions in, width. modified skewness space where the modified beta function covers a region while the other, more common, distribution functions cover only a curve. A procedure for comparing simple distribution functions with analytical functions specifically for digitized SAR data is presented