An Assessment of Alternative Synthetic Aperture Radar Display Formats: Orientation and Situational Awareness

Abstract

This study explores the operational utility of fusing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery and digital terrain map (DTM) data. Specifically, the two-dimensional (2D) display of SAR imagery was compared against a two and a half dimension (21/2D) display of SAR overlaid on corresponding DTM data. Eight imagery analysts (IAs), assigned to the Israeli Ground Corps Command Imagery Analysis Unit and to the Israeli Air Force, and two weapon system officers served as subject matter experts. The measures employed in this comparison included both an assessment of operator situational awareness (SA) and of performance in an information extraction task. Based on the SAR imagery which was used in the experiment, performance measures (accuracy and speed in feature location) and SA measures did not yield significant performance differences between the 2D and the 2 _D displays. The average time required to complete each task was significantly longer for the 2 _D displays. Based on experience, the SMEÕs opinion was that the 2 _D imagery display may be potentially helpful in the performance of various imagery analysis tasks and in enhancing SA.