Form 9.B Project Summary

Chron:

970922

Proposal Number:

14.06-4253

Project Title:

Automated IFSAR Classification

System

Technical Abstract (Limit 200 words)

Telesis Corporation proposes to develop an

Automated IFSAR Clasification System that will

produce radiometrically corrected maps of the

normalized cross section (sigma-0), with classified

regions and delineated features, from

interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR)

data. The Phase I research will focus on necessary

pre-processing, clustering, and classification

algorithms that can identify and measure the

vegetation coverage, soil moisture, and soil

roughness on either flat or mountainous terrain.

The algorithms will use the digital elevation model

(DEM) produced by the IFSAR to correct the

sigma-0 values in the SAR image that were

estimated using a flat earth assumption. They will

also use this DEM to measure the dependence of

various parameters on incidence angle, such as

sigma-0, or for polarimetric SAR, the amplitude

ratios or differences in phase of various terms in

the polarimetric covariance matrix. These

dependencies on incidence angle, along with other

features derived from the SAR image, will be

compared to a library of feature vectors stored in a

database and used to cluster and classify the

regions in the image.

Potential Commercial Applications (Limit 200 words)

The system will improve the utility of SAR imagery

for land cover and land use analysis, including the

classification of vegetation coverage and the

measurement of forest canopy height, biomass, and

soil moisture. The greatest improvements will be in

mountainous areas having significant terrain relief.

The software will be useful to vendors of

commercial IFSAR data for the creation of

value-added products that complement the SAR

ortho-mosaics and DEMs already on the market.

Name and Address of Principal Investigator (Name,

Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)

Milan Karspeck

Telesis Corporation

706 8th Street, Box 1126

Berthoud , CO 80513

Name and Address of Offeror (Firm Name, Mail Address,

City/State/Zip)

Milan Karspeck

Telesis Corporation

706 8th Street, Box 1126

Berthoud , CO 80513