Target recognition by means of spaceborne C-band SAR data

The relative low resolution (~25 m times 5 m on the ground) of spaceborne C-band SAR data as acquired e.g. by ESA sensors ERS and Envisat can be significantly increased (up to sub-meter precisions (Perissin and Rocca, 2005)) by processing coherently long series of images. Moreover, by analyzing the amplitude of the radar signal, the main radar characteristics of urban targets can be estimated and a system for automatic recognition of a set of scattering structures can be developed. In this work, we present the methodology and the results obtained on the test-sites of Milan and Shanghai by combining data acquired from ascending and descending passes and from parallel satellite tracks.