SAR Imaging of Fractal Surfaces

Sensitivity analysis of a scattering-based nonlocal means Despeckling Algorithm

“…However, in the analyzed case, SB-PPB provides better results than PPB whatever the estimation error. Indeed, the Hurst coefficient can be estimated via the algorithm proposed in Di Martino et al (2012). If not the case, a reference value can be used.…”

“…However, the SB-PPB algorithm is able to take into account the knowledge of whatever surface parameter. For example, in Di Martino et al (2012), a method for the retrieval of the Hurst coefficient from a single-look SAR image is described; in Iodice et al (2011) a method to retrieve the soil surface parameters from polarimetric SAR data is presented; in Franceschetti et al (2000), a general framework for surface parameters estimation from backscattered data is discussed.…”

“…Thus, the higher H, the stronger the decay of the scattering distance. It is noticeable that the nonnegligible influence of the H parameter can be faced via a proper estimation procedure, such as that suitable for single-look SAR data proposed in Di Martino et al (2012) and actually used in SB-PPB. However, thanks to the a priori scattering information, the SB-PPB provides better results w.r.t.…”

Fractal maps dependence on SAR look angle

“…The fractal dimension retrieving is performed through a spectral analysis of the amplitude SAR image, according to the theoretical analysis presented by the authors in [1]. In particular, dealing with power-law spectra, an appropriate spectral estimator, that minimizes high variance and leakage problems, is used: the Capon estimator [7].…”

“…Hence, an innovative SAR image processing has been developed by the authors: working on a single (amplitude) SAR image, it provides the map of the point by point fractal dimension of the scene observed by the sensor [1], [2]. The fractal dimension is a significant parameter in describing natural surfaces' roughness and properties: as a matter of fact, it allows us to distinguish areas different from a geomorphologic point of view and to recognize geodynamic processes accountable for natural structures formation [3]- [5].…”