PHARS: a C-Band Airborne SAR

For the study of microwave scattering of vegetation, forests, sea and other targets ground-based and airbome scatterometers and a digital SLAR system (X-band) are used since many years in The Netherlands. All these systems are absolutely calibrated. The experience gained with building radar remote sensing systems led to the development of a polarimetric C-band aircraft SAR. Before this system can be build a number of technological problems have to be solved. This is done in several theoretical and practical studies. In one of these preparatory studies a SAR testbed will be constructed, to test parts of the technology that will be used in the final system and to gain experience with airborne SAR in general. After an over-view of the PHARUS project, the results reached so far with the design and realization of the SAR testbed will be described.