Research project OR/12/005 (Research action OR)
Objectives
In both visible and radar imagery, very high resolution opens news opportunities, some of which are still largely unresolved, in terms of shape recognition, and of feature localization, identification, and characterization within scenes. The high revisit frequency of the Pléiades
and Cosmo-Skymed constellations, combined with the expected high resolution, also opens new opportunities for change detection and surveillance.
We propose (1) to investigate the limitations of current SAR interferometric techniques once they are applied to X-band VHR imagery; (2) to develop new algorithms whenever the existing algorithms are no longer applicable, and to test these new algorithms on simulated Cosmo-
Skymed data made available under the ORFEO Preparatory Program; to develop the resources required in terms of (3) georeferencing of visible and SAR images in a common reference frame, (4) coregistration, and (5) fusion of these multimodal data at the pixel level;
(6) to make fusion products available to the other partners; and, finally, (7) to develop 3D visualization tools (virtual reality).
Methodology
The proposed research will build upon the existing InSAR/DInSAR algorithms and processors developed by ULg in the C-band ERS/ENVISAT context. The main tasks are as follows:
(1) Examine the impact of VHR on existing techniques; (2) Develop and implement new algorithms, as required. (3) Test these InSAR/DInSAR algorithms on simulated X-band VHR Cosmo-Skymed SAR imagery. (4) Develop multimodal coregistration methods to bring the
optical and SAR modalities into the same geographical reference system. (5) Develop advanced pixel-level (as opposed to feature- or object-level) fusion methods to fuse optical and SAR imagery based on methods currently under development at ULg for medical imaging.
(6) Provide other network members (see above) with the coregistered modalities, including the image fusion product, for exploitation such as change detection. (7) Develop techniques to allow all partners to visualize the modalities, the fusion products, and all 3D information in 3D
stereo (virtual reality).
Study area
Baux-de-Provence (France) - Meix (Belgium)
Data
SAR images (airborne RAMSES) and optical images (Quickbird, IKONOS, SPOT-5 and airborne ADS40)
