SAR imaging via modern 2D spectral estimation methods

This paper discusses the use of modern 2D spectral estimation algorithms for SAR imaging. We provide a synopsis of the algorithms available, and discuss their relative merits for SAR imaging. Three related algorithms, minimum variance method, reduced-rank minimum variance method, and adaptive sidelobe reduction, offer particular promise for SAR imaging. We review these methods in detail, and develop interferometric variants for use with displaced aperture interferometric SAR systems. Examples illustrate that MVM and ASR both offer significant advantages over Fourier methods for estimating both scattering intensity and interferometric height using data collected of the area around the University of Michigan stadium by ERIM's interferometric X- band DCS SAR.