On MIMO TomoSAR System for Snow Mapping

Abstract:
In this work we present a new concept for a small satellites formation primarily aimed to snowpack mapping with MIMO SAR tomography. The deployment of few simpler sensors reduces costs compared to classic SAR instruments and temporal decorrelation is abated thanks to quasi-simultaneous acquisition. Channel is accessed via Frequency Division Multiplexing. Fine vertical resolution is achieved by a deployment that synthesizes an almost uniformly spaced array of maximum length while constraining coherence losses due to the distributed scene. Preliminary performance numbers motivate the concept, though some challenges require further study.