Comparison of parameter estimation accuracy of distributed-target polarimetric calibration techniques

Abstract

The accuracy with which distributed-target polarimetric calibration algorithms estimate crosstalk and the ratio of Tx-to-Rx channel imbalance is compared. The algorithms investigated are minor variants of previously-published algorithms but rederived for notational and definitional consistency. Numerical simulations were used to assess the algorithms’ performance in the absence of noise. Results indicate that the imbalance parameter is generally accurately-estimated but that crosstalk estimation accuracy varies greatly.