Radar altimeter echo simulation based on PO method

Radar altimeter as one of the most important microwave sensors has been playing an important role since later 1970s in ocean environment monitoring, ocean science research and global climate change study, etc. Recently, SAR altimeters have been designed to improve the spatial resolution along the satellite track. Synthetic aperture processing inherently can give a high spatial resolution in the along track direction by combining of several pulses. This paper overviews the development of radar remote sensing. Also, the physical optics method is discussed and the process of electromagnetic simulation of radar altimeter working in burst mode with chirp waveforms over land surfaces is described.