Decomposition of Polarimetric Variations using Transformation Operators
Conference: EUSAR 2006 - 6th European Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar
05/16/2006 - 05/18/2006 at Dresden, Germany
Proceedings: EUSAR 2006
Pages: 4Language: englishTyp: PDF
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Authors:
Ferro-Famil, L.; Pottier, E. (IETR Laboratory, UMR CNRS 6164, University of Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu – Bâtiment 11D, 263 Avenue Général Leclerc, CS 74205 35042 Rennes Cedex, France)
Boerner, W. M. (UIC-EECS Communications, Sensing & Navigation Laboratory 900 W. Taylor St., SEL (607)W-4210, M/C 154, CHICAGO IL/USA-60607-7018)
Abstract:
This paper concerns the decomposition of polarimetric variations using Special Unitary (SU) operators. In a general way, scattering matrices cannot be related using SU(2) operators due to their different diagonal structure. It is shown that optimal polarization states fully characterize a normalized scattering matrix and may be used to describe polarimetric variations in terms of rotation matrices belonging to a SO(6) sub-group. A similar approach is also led with the SU(4) group. Finally, the projection of the resulting transformation operators over a basis of their respective group provides a set of 6 real elements that fully describe polarimetric variations.