Audio analogies for the teaching of radar remote sensing

Radar remote sensing instruments continue to be employed both in airborne and spaceborne platforms, and the application of radar images steadily increases. The analysis and interpretation of the measured data, however, is usually difficult, and those new to the subject often encounter initial conceptual difficulties that can lead to lasting misconceptions about the nature of radar imaging. Many of these difficulties can be related to the dominance of visual metaphors within the wider remote sensing literature. This paper describes an alternative conceptual framework based on auditory analogies. Such a framework allows for a clearer appreciation of some of the concepts that are important for gaining a firm understanding of radar imaging. The use of sound as an analogy for radar systems is not new, but is rarely found in the context of remote sensing. Such analogies can provide useful illustrative tools for educational programs that include radar remote sensing. Examples in this paper include analogies for speckle and interferometry