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Abstract-This paper presents a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) simulator that is able to generate polarimetric SAR (POLSAR) and polarimetric inverse SAR data of complex targets. It solves the electromagnetic problem via high-frequency approximations, such as physical optics and the physical theory of diffraction, with notable computational efficiency. In principle, any orbital monostatic sensor working at any band, resolution, and operating mode can be modeled. To make simulations more realistic, the target's bearing and speed are considered, and for the particular case of vessels, even the translational and rotational movements induced by the sea state. All these capabilities make the simulator a powerful tool for supplying large amounts of data with precise scenario information and for testing future sensor configurations. In this paper, the usefulness of the simulator on vessel classification studies is assessed. Several simulated polarimetric images are presented to analyze the potentialities of coherent target decompositions for classifying complex geometries, thus basing an operational algorithm. The limitations highlighted by the results suggest that other approaches, like POLSAR interferometry, should be explored.

Abstract-This letter discusses the implementation of SABRINA, Synthetic Aperture radar Bistatic Receiver for Interferometric Applications. The ground resolution of a fixedreceiver bistatic system is studied, showing that it is comparable to that of a monostatic system. Due to the short distance from target to receiver, large sensitivity is obtained. The noncooperative nature of the bistatic system forces a conservative data-acquisition strategy based on continuously sampling the scattered signal during a temporal window around the predicted satellite overpass time. Also, to be able to synchronize the system in time and in frequency, sampling of a direct signal obtained through an antenna pointed at the satellite is required. Besides the signal processing required to phase-lock the received signal, the bistatic synthetic aperture radar processing needs to take into account the azimuth-dependent phase history. First focused images obtained with the SABRINA-ENVISAT combination are discussed.Index Terms-Bistatic synthetic aperture radar, interferometry, sensor of opportunity, synthetic aperture radar (SAR).

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