Maximum a posteriori classification of multifrequency, multilook, synthetic aperture radar intensity data

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part A: Optics and Image Science; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAA.10.000573· OSTI ID:6441274

Rignot, E ^[1]; Chellappa, R ^[2]

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1. California Inst. of Technology, Pasadena (United States)
2. Univ. of Maryland, College Park (United States)

The authors present a maximum a posteriori (MAP) classifier for classifying multifrequency, multilook, single polarization, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) intensity data into regions or ensembles of pixels of homogeneous and similar radar backscatter characteristics. A model for the prior joint distribution of the multifrequency SAR intensity data is combined with a Markov random field for representing the interactions between region labels to obtain an expression for the posterior distribution of the region labels given the multifrequency SAR observations. The maximization of the posterior distribution yields Bayes's optimum region labeling or classification of the SAR data or its MAP estimate. The performance of the MAP classifier is evaluated by using computer-simulated multilook SAR intensity data as a function of the parameters in the classification process. Multilook SAR intensity data are shown to yield higher classification accuracies than one-look SAR complex amplitude data. Examples using actual two-frequency, four-look, SAR intensity data acquired by the NASA/jet Propulsion Laboratory airborne polarimetric SAR are presented. The MAP classifier is extended to the case in which the radar backscatter from the remotely sensed surface varies within the SAR image because of incidence angle effects. The results obtained illustrate the practicality of the method for combining SAR intensity observations acquired at two different frequencies and for improving classification accuracy of SAR data. 26 refs., 4 figs., 6 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6441274
• Journal Information: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part A: Optics and Image Science; (United States), Vol. 10:4; ISSN 0740-3232
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
IMAGE PROCESSING
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
SYNTHETIC-APERTURE RADAR
BACKSCATTERING
DATA PROCESSING
INCIDENCE ANGLE
MARKOV PROCESS
POLARIMETRY
POLARIZATION
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PROCESSING
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SCATTERING
SIMULATION
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
426000* - Engineering- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits- (1990-)
661300 - Other Aspects of Physical Science- (1992-)