Sea bottom topography with polarimetric P-, L- and C-band SAR : final report of the BCRS project "Mapping of sea bottom topography with airborne SAR"

It is known for some time now that under favorable conditions (moderate wind and strong tidal current) the bottom topography of shallow seas can be made visible using imaging radar (Side Looking Airborne Radar, SLAR and Synthetic Aperture Radar, SAR). Knowledge of sea bottom topography is important for shipping, fishery and all kinds of off-shore activities as harbour construction and routing oil pipes and telecommunication tables. In 1989 the possibility emerged to participate in the European campaign with the Airborne Imaging Radar (AIR) of NASA/JPL. This is a C-, L- and P-band polarimetric SAR system carried by a modified DC-8 passenger jet. The experiment took place on August 16, 1989. the AIR made radar images of an area 20 km Northwest of the Measuring Platform Noordwijk (MPN). It was also investigated whether or not the modulation at P-band depends on the polarization. There was no sign found for such a depency. Therefore it is concluded that sea bottom topography can be best observed at VV-polarization, since it gives the best signal-to-noise ratio.