Optimized Minimum Spanning Tree Phase Unwrapping and Rectification Algorithm of Redundancies for Phase Image

Nowadays, SAR interferometry (InSAR) is a technique to generate digital elevation models from space. The phase image unwrapping is the most important step in processing the interferometric SAR data. Goldstein´s branch-cut algorithm is the most classical one. It is about the connection of residues with branch-cut lines to neutralize their charges so that the integral path can´t stride over the branches in the process of phase unwrapping, thus avoiding pervasion of error. However, this connection always brings about numerous, lengthy and even closed branch-cut lines that can not be unwrapped, especially when many residues exist. This paper presents an optimized minimum spanning tree phase unwrapping algorithm, and described the implementation in detail. It is expected to remove the redundancies of the branch-cut tree accurately and ensure the effectiveness of phase unwrapping