Application of the polarimetric matched image filter (PMIF) technique to clutter removal in POL-SAR images of the ocean environment

Image contrast optimization between two rough surface classes, which is based strictly on polarimetric filtering and therefore requires no digital image processing techniques, is considered. The approach is tested on a complete polarimetric synthetic aperture radar image of the San Francisco Bay area. Optimal transmitted polarizations are found for each image pixel and the results are analyzed statistically using a set of joint 2-D histograms. The image response to the optimal incident polarization is simulated digitally by adjusting the receiver polarization according to the modes of the histograms. The corresponding images are computed and displayed with significant image contrast improvement