Terrain and Geologic Feature Extraction from IFSAR Imagery

The proposed program will develop automatic geologic and terrain feature classification algorithms, emphasizing those that exploit the additional height and terrain slope information provided by IFSAR imagery. To accomplish this, existing 3 m resolution 1FSAR imagery will be used to identify critical feature components, and to develop and exercise scene segmentation and terrain identification algorithms. The program will quantify the advantages that such 3-D processing can achieve relative to conventional, 2-D SAR systems. Two-aperture IFSAR data are subject to glint effects that can seriously degrade height estimation accuracy. Utilizing three vertical subapertures provides two IFSAR images simultaneously. A unique algorithm can then be applied to determine the height of both a primary and a possible secondary scatterer. Available, three-subaperture, 10 m resolution IFSAR imagery, which has been collected and is currently being processed under an IR&D program, will be utilized during Phase I to quantify the benefits 0-f three-subaperture operation. ATR and pattern recognition techniques, developed on programs for radar target classification, will be adapted to scene classification. Existing software will be used to perform SAR data retrieval and image processing, and to exploit USGS data bases in ground-truth assessment. Anticipated Benefits/Potential Applications - Automatic geologic and terrain classification from SAR and IFSAR data has numerous applications. Commercial and scientific applications include such diverse possibilities as providing accurate data bases for siting portable air traffic control radars during emergency efforts (e.g. after hurricanes and floods), detecting terrain features indicating the presence of minerals or oil, and monitoring the size and health of forests and wetlands. Military applications include identification of potential targets in deep-hide areas. and automatic navigation using terrain features.