| |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Proactive disclosure Print version   | |  Glossary of remote sensing terms Term: Polarization Synthesis Definition: The operation of constructing an image that would be received from a polarimetric radar having selected transmit and receive polarizations. Explanation: If a scattering matrix is measured by a fully polarimetric radar, then all the information is available about the scattering properties of the target at each sample, for the existing frequency and imaging parameters. While the radar measures the response at four specific transmit-receive polarization combinations, the information obtained can be used to synthesize an image for any combination of transmit and receive polarizations. For example, a quadrature polarization radar may make it possible to measure backscatter in HH, HV, VV and VH channels. With this information, an image can be constructed that would appear as if the imaging system was a Right-Hand circular polarized radar. The polarization synthesis can be performed by converting the scattering matrix to the Stokes matrix, then pre-multiplying and post-multiplying the matrix by the unit Stokes vector representing the desired polarizations of the receive and transmit antennas respectively. One common use of polarization synthesis is to construct the polarization signatures for a selected class of targets, and use these shapes to help interpret the scattering mechanisms present in a scene. Related Terms: Co-polarization signature Graphic 1:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
