Extended capability overview of real-time optronic SAR processing

Timely reception of SAR images is crucial for applications such disaster monitoring, operational earth observation and sea surveillance. The information obtained from the SAR images is needed by civilian security groups for events such as floods, earthquake, ice flows, as well as by law enforcement organizations for maritime threats such as illegal fishing and drug smuggling activities. INO in collaboration with ESA recently developed a real-time optronic SAR processor perfectly adapted for these applications since the images are provided as soon as the SAR raw data is available. This paper provides a review of recent capability developments of the optronic SAR processor designed for real-time image generation from Envisat ASAR raw data. Aspects of instantaneous reconfiguration with regards to altitude and to look angle changes are discussed. In addition techniques such as raw data tracking that provides enhanced dynamic range are detailed. This overview also addresses more complex functionalities achievable with the current optronic processor such as ScanSAR and InSAR.