Fusion of high resolution radar images with simulated target signatures

Simulations of high resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems are typically done for reasons of parametric studies or for testing the end-to-end system chain in the analysis design process of future SAR systems. In this paper it will be shown that SAR simulation can also be applied in a user ground segment of an operational space borne SAR system. Specifically, the simulated signatures of selected target objects will be merged with its corresponding signatures of high resolution spotlight TerraSAR-X images. In this way it is possible to supply the image operator with additional information about target objects, which greatly assists in signature analysis and identification.