Speckle and scene spatial estimators for SAR image filtering application to ERS-1 over fragmented forest

Spatial estimators originating from the local autocorrelation functions (ACF) are introduced into the Gamma-Gamma MAP single-point speckle filter for SAR images in order to account for the effects of speckle and scene spatial correlation, to enhance scene texture, and to preserve the spatial resolution in the restored image. To this end, these estimators are used for the evaluation of the non-stationary first order local statistics, as well as for the detection of structural scene elements. Results obtained on airborne and ERS-1 images with different spatial resolutions illustrate the performance obtained by the implementation of these estimators into the filter