AN OVERVIEW OF POLARIMETRIC SAR-BASED MONITORING OF SEA OIL SLICKS

摘要

In this study, a complete overview of polarimetric syntheticrnaperture radar (POLSAR)-based approaches for searnoil slick observation is presented. The growing availabilityrnof a large POLSAR dataset collected in a broadrnrange of carrier frequencies, i. e., L-, C- and X-band, andrnpolarimetric modes, i. e., fully-(FP), compact-(CP), andrncoherent/incoherent dual-polarimetric (DP), has boostedrnseveral physical-based methods for not only detecting searnoil slicks, but also for their discrimination from weakdampingrnlook-alikes and classification according to theirrndamping properties. All the polarimetric models that underliernsuch POLSAR-based approaches rely on the departurernfrom the slick-free sea surface Bragg scattering thatrncharacterizes oil slicks. In this study, particular attentionrnis paid to the capability of CP SARs to observe sea oilrnslicks, since they represent, from an operational servicernperspective, the best compromise between the completerninformation content provided by FP SARs and the widerrnswath offered by DP SARs.