Developing Refugee Vessel Detection Capabilities with Polarimetric SAR

Abstract:
This project focuses on the detection of small rubber inflatables which are regularly used by migrants to cross the central Mediterranean Sea. The physical attributes of such small targets without materials of high dielectricity decrease the probability of detection. We use multi-platform SAR data and a variety of vessel detection algorithms to gain a better understanding of the backscattering properties and to increase detection capabilities of such inflatables. Our special experimental setup benchmarks detectors at different sea states and wave heights. We adapted well known detectors and implemented detector fusion to test and enhance automatic detection.