Polarimetric effects in repeat-pass SAR interferometry

In this paper we examine the role wave polarisation play in the interpretation of interferograms. We first propose a general formulation for vector wave interferometry and differential interferometry which includes the conventional scalar interferometry as a special subcase. Then we demonstrate how polarimetric target decomposition theory can be introduced in interferometry for the physical interpretation of the interferometric phase. The potential of polarimetric SAR interferometry (POL-InSAR) is demonstrated by first results from the evaluation of fully polarimetric interferometric SIR-C/X-SAR data.