Systematic Comparison of Backgeocoding Algorithms for SAR Processing and Simulation Environments

Inhalt:
Backgeocoding is a fundamental operation in SAR processing and simulation environments which consists of the mapping of a geophysical magnitude of interest (e.g., topography, reflectivity, etc.) provided in geographical coordinates according to the radar observation geometry. In mathematical terms, it is a two-dimensional irregular interpolation typically consuming a relevant percentage of the processing time. We present in this abstract a systematic comparison of two standard families of backgeocoding algorithms with the purpose of assessing their suitability in realistic SAR processing and simulation environments. The comparison is done both in terms of accuracy and computational burden. A specific illustration of the geometric singularities of the algorithms is also presented. In the final version of the paper, a recommendation for the corresponding areas of use shall be given.