Topographic mapping using interferometric synthetic aperture radar

Interferometric synthetic aperture radars (IFSARs) are powerful tools for topographic mapping. The systems' characteristics: wide swath coverage, automated processing, all- weather operation, and predicted accuracies, give them a unique set of capabilities. IFSAR has been demonstrated from aircraft and satellites, and high-resolution IFSARs achievable from aircraft offer more promise for feature mapping than the satellite systems. We discuss the unique processing steps that are required in the formation of IFSAR terrain data images. Recent work has been done on the automatic recognition of terrain features from IFSAR data. We describe the methods used and predict the variation in the applicability of these methods.