eOsphere is leading research into low frequency radar techniques for exploration underneath ice and snow surfaces in the Antarctic and interplanetary space missions. It is also investigating tomography and polarimetric interferometry for target detection under forest canopies.
SARTOM
The SARTOM project addresses a key area of defence interest, namely the detection and identification of targets hidden in foliage and also weak targets situated in noisy backgrounds. Advanced techniques have been developed designed to extract the maximum amount of information contained in SAR data.
SAR Tomography allows a 3-dimensional picture of a scattering volume to be constructed in contrast to the usual two-dimensional SAR image where scatterers at different heights are superimposed upon one another.
A target’s polarimetric response adds valuable information that can improve detection & classification performance. A new target detection-classification methodology has been developed that makes novel use of the polarisation (Huynen) fork of the target. (Further details from an ESA POLinSAR 2009 paper.)
The SARTOM project included a program of experimental data gathering, using the DLR airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) system known as E-SAR, which covers X-, C-, L- and P-band.
The SARTOM paper presented at the EMRS-DTC conference in Edinburgh 2009, where eOsphere were awarded a best paper prize.
Collaborating partners:
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
University of Edinburgh
Funded by the Electro-Magnetic Remote Sensing Defence Technology Centre.
ACRAS
The goal of ACRAS is to demonstrate viable techniques for the mitigation of ionospheric disturbance and surface clutter on sub-surface low frequency radar observations, in the context of icy regions on Earth, Mars and Europa. The key prize for success is the potential of ground-breaking science related to the viability of life on planetary bodies and the threat to our own life through sea level rise here on Earth. There are almost certainly other areas of science that will benefit too, including surveys of arid regions on Earth and frozen ground regimes.
Collaborating partners:
The British Antarctic Survey
EADS Astrium
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
The Max-Planck Institute
And Consultants: Kim Partington, Wlodek Kofman, Alain Herique & Xiaoqing Wu.
