A Polarimetric Target Detector Using the Huynen Fork

Abstract

The contribution of synthetic aperture radar polarimetry in target detection is described and found to add valuable information. A new target detection methodology that makes novel use of the polarization fork of the target is described. The detector is based on a correlation procedure in the target space, and other target representations (e.g., Huynen parameters or a angle) can be employed. The mathematical formulation is general and can be applied to any kind of single target; however, in this paper, the detection is optimized for the odd and even bounces (the first two elements of the Pauli scattering vector) and for the oriented dipoles. Validation against real data shows significant agreement with the expected results based on the theoretical description.