Terrain and Geologic Feature Extraction from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Imagery

The primary objective of this effort is to develop tractable techniques to automatically extract terrain and geologic features from interferometric SAR (IFSAR) imagery and Digital Terrain Elevation (DTE) data produced from IFSAR phase data. A secondary objective is to develop performance prediction techniques for the extraction process. Today terrain information extraction from aerial imagery remains mainly a labor intensive, manual practice. Leighly and Associates, Inc., believe the reasons for this lack of progress has been (1) the lack of terrain organization domain knowledge and the use of context in automated image analysis approaches and (2) the lack of data suitable for tractable and robust solutions. This effort addresses both areas of weakness. An approach will be developed which builds on methods for predicting the occurrence of a limited set of geologic landforms in any given physiographic area, and developing strategies which selectively employ terrain partitioning, identification, and attribution algorithms to three-dimensional SAR image data (IFSAR image and associated DTE data). The initial area of interest will concern southwestern U.S. regions where IFSAR data exists. Methods for predicting feature extraction performance for IFSAR data will be developed that are ajso based on the terrain organization approach to automated feature extraction. Anticipated Benefits/Potential Applications - This effort addresses terrain analysis and in turn terrain analysis supports many dual use applications. Examples of military operations supported by terrain analysis include combat operations planning, automated weapons guidance, IFB, simulation terrain data bases, etc. Examples of civilian value include: site evaluation/engineering, remote surveying, geologica.1 surveys, flooding potential/prediction, etc. Methods and techniques developed here may evolve to processing IFSAR satellite data. Documented methods developed will be useful for training terrain analysts.