Polarimetric analysis of fine resolution X-band SAR sea clutter data

Abstract

The DSTO Ingara multi-mode X-Band radar collected fine resolution fully polarimetric sea clutter data over a wide variety of sea states, incidence and azimuth angles. Analysis includes polarimetric decomposition and estimation of K distribution clutter statistics. The results show the backscatter is in the low entropy surface scatter zone associated with the Bragg scattering expected from the sea surface, and the K-distribution shape parameter υ has a variation in azimuth angle strongly coupled to the mean backscatter in the VV and HV polarizations.