Optimization of RADARSAT-2 SAR Imagery for Vessel Detection Applications

The surveillance of ships at sea is a routine application that makes use of space-based Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. Presently, such applications continue to be improved upon, making use of various techniques to better detect ships in the SAR images. This paper will provide an overview of the recent improvements made to the SAR images that are used by such applications. Leveraging the programmability of the RADARSAT-2 sensor, MDA is in the process of developing and assessing two new ScanSAR beam modes: a 450km wide ship detection optimized beam mode in the HH polarization channel, and a 530km wide multi-purpose beam mode in the HH and HV polarization channels. It will be shown that these new beam modes are significantly better, offering nearly uniform ship detection of much smaller vessels across the full swath width, as compared to the existing RADARSAT-2 ScanSAR beam modes.