Detection and Characterization of Ship Targets Using CryoSat-2 Altimeter Waveforms
This article describes an investigation of the new possibilities offered by SAR altimetry compared with conventional altimetry in the detection and characterization of non-ocean targets. We explore the capabilities of the first SAR altimeter installed on the European Space Agency satellite CryoSat-2...
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doaj-46901751256344dbaa25202a44a4a5b42020-11-24T23:43:24ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922016-02-018319310.3390/rs8030193rs8030193Detection and Characterization of Ship Targets Using CryoSat-2 Altimeter WaveformsJesús Gómez-Enri0Andrea Scozzari1Francesco Soldovieri2Josep Coca3Stefano Vignudelli4Applied Physics Department, University of Cadiz (Spain), Avenida República Saharaui, s/n, Puerto Real 11510, SpainCNR Institute of Information Science and Technologies (CNR-ISTI), Via Moruzzi 1, Pisa 56024, ItalyCNR Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (CNR-IREA), Via Diocleziano 328, Napoli 80124, ItalyApplied Physics Department, University of Cadiz (Spain), Avenida República Saharaui, s/n, Puerto Real 11510, SpainCNR Institute of Biophysics (CNR-IBF), Via Moruzzi 1, Pisa 56024, ItalyThis article describes an investigation of the new possibilities offered by SAR altimetry compared with conventional altimetry in the detection and characterization of non-ocean targets. We explore the capabilities of the first SAR altimeter installed on the European Space Agency satellite CryoSat-2 for the detection and characterization of ships. We propose a methodology for the detection of anomalous targets in the radar signals, based on the advantages of SAR/Doppler processing over conventional altimetry. A simple metric is proposed for the automatic detection and separation of ship targets; additional geometric considerations are introduced, to assess the compatibility between the structures detected and the actual location and characteristics of the ships observed. A test-case is presented with multiple targets that are confirmed as large vessels cruising in the proximity of a CryoSat-2 track crossing the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean). The presence and position of these ships at the time of satellite passage have been corroborated by the data retrieved from the Automatic Information System database. A principal motive for this research is the future altimetry missions that will provide global SAR coverage (e.g., Sentinel-3). This methodology may complement the existing tracking systems, with particular reference to the capability of compiling global statistics based on freely available data.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/8/3/193SAR altimetryCryoSat-2 SIRALaltimeter waveformsship detection |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jesús Gómez-Enri Andrea Scozzari Francesco Soldovieri Josep Coca Stefano Vignudelli |
spellingShingle |
Jesús Gómez-Enri Andrea Scozzari Francesco Soldovieri Josep Coca Stefano Vignudelli Detection and Characterization of Ship Targets Using CryoSat-2 Altimeter Waveforms Remote Sensing SAR altimetry CryoSat-2 SIRAL altimeter waveforms ship detection |
author_facet |
Jesús Gómez-Enri Andrea Scozzari Francesco Soldovieri Josep Coca Stefano Vignudelli |
author_sort |
Jesús Gómez-Enri |
title |
Detection and Characterization of Ship Targets Using CryoSat-2 Altimeter Waveforms |
title_short |
Detection and Characterization of Ship Targets Using CryoSat-2 Altimeter Waveforms |
title_full |
Detection and Characterization of Ship Targets Using CryoSat-2 Altimeter Waveforms |
title_fullStr |
Detection and Characterization of Ship Targets Using CryoSat-2 Altimeter Waveforms |
title_full_unstemmed |
Detection and Characterization of Ship Targets Using CryoSat-2 Altimeter Waveforms |
title_sort |
detection and characterization of ship targets using cryosat-2 altimeter waveforms |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Remote Sensing |
issn |
2072-4292 |
publishDate |
2016-02-01 |
description |
This article describes an investigation of the new possibilities offered by SAR altimetry compared with conventional altimetry in the detection and characterization of non-ocean targets. We explore the capabilities of the first SAR altimeter installed on the European Space Agency satellite CryoSat-2 for the detection and characterization of ships. We propose a methodology for the detection of anomalous targets in the radar signals, based on the advantages of SAR/Doppler processing over conventional altimetry. A simple metric is proposed for the automatic detection and separation of ship targets; additional geometric considerations are introduced, to assess the compatibility between the structures detected and the actual location and characteristics of the ships observed. A test-case is presented with multiple targets that are confirmed as large vessels cruising in the proximity of a CryoSat-2 track crossing the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean). The presence and position of these ships at the time of satellite passage have been corroborated by the data retrieved from the Automatic Information System database. A principal motive for this research is the future altimetry missions that will provide global SAR coverage (e.g., Sentinel-3). This methodology may complement the existing tracking systems, with particular reference to the capability of compiling global statistics based on freely available data. |
topic |
SAR altimetry CryoSat-2 SIRAL altimeter waveforms ship detection |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/8/3/193 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT jesusgomezenri detectionandcharacterizationofshiptargetsusingcryosat2altimeterwaveforms AT andreascozzari detectionandcharacterizationofshiptargetsusingcryosat2altimeterwaveforms AT francescosoldovieri detectionandcharacterizationofshiptargetsusingcryosat2altimeterwaveforms AT josepcoca detectionandcharacterizationofshiptargetsusingcryosat2altimeterwaveforms AT stefanovignudelli detectionandcharacterizationofshiptargetsusingcryosat2altimeterwaveforms |
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1725501692839985152 |