Remote Sensing at Millimetre Waves with the MEMPHIS Synthetic Aperture Radar

Abstract:
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a tool for a broad community and a range of different applications. Especially for remote sensing applications data with high resolution preferably in all three dimensions are requested to provide the users with images of the earth´s surface in high quality at any time regardless of cloud cover or time of the day. This is possible within quick reaction times, if an aircraft is taken as sensor platform. For the mapping of smaller areas with high precision, millimetre wave SAR offers best opportunities, combining all advantages of SAR imaging with ease of processing and the capability to be operated from small and light aircrafts, even remotely piloted. To show the advantages of these radar bands for remote sensing applications and especially to allow simultaneous comparative measurements at both relevant millimetre wave atmospheric windows, Ka- and W-band, the experimental SAR sensor MEMPHIS (Millimeterwave experimental multifrequency polarimetric high resolution imaging sensor) was developed and has been improved and extended in its capability over recent years. The paper gives a description of the present state of the system and presents representative examples for remote sensing applications.