A framework for the analysis of speckle noise effects in multidimensional SAR imagery

Speckle noise represents one of the main problems for the exploitation of multidimensional SAR imagery, especially when quantitative parameters retrieval is addressed. The complexity of this problem arises from the fact that the correct characterization of speckle noise in multidimensional SAR imagery makes necessary to consider the combination of multiplicative and additive noise sources. The scope of this paper is to explore, in a general way, the effects of these different noise sources into the retrieval of physical information obtained through the so-called eigenvector-based target decomposition theorems. The study of polarimetric (PolSAR) and polarimetric interferometric (PolInSAR) data is specially considered.