Resolution enhancement of spaceborne scatterometer data

A method for generating enhanced resolution radar images of the Earth´s surface using spaceborne scatterometry is presented. The technique is based on an image reconstruction technique that takes advantage of the spatial overlap in scatterometer measurements made at different times to provide enhanced imaging resolution. The reconstruction algorithm is described, and the technique is demonstrated using both simulated and actual Seasat-A Scatterometer (SASS) measurements. The technique can also be used with ERS-1 scatterometer data. The SASS-derived images, which have approximately 4-km resolution, illustrate the resolution enhancement capability of the technique, which permits utilization of both historic and contemporary scatterometer data for medium-scale monitoring of vegetation and polar ice. The tradeoff between imaging noise and resolution inherent in the technique is discussed