Radar Mapping Suite: On-Line Manual

Radar Mapping Suite
O N - L I N E M A N U A L
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Radar Mapping Suite On-Line Manual
Introduction to Radar Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Radar Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Moving Window Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
What is Speckle Noise? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Speckle Suppression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Frost Filter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
MAP Filter (Gamma-MAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Mean Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Median Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Local Region Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Lee-Sigma and Lee Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Calculation of Coefficient of Variation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Speckle Suppression Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Edge Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Radar Image Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Texture Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Adjust Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Adjust Slant Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Complementary Data Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Merging Radar Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Using the Radar Interpreter Module functions with Non-Radar Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Radar Mapping Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Radar Interpreter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
iii
Radar Speckle Suppression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Edge Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Image Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Wallis Adaptive Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Luminance Modification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Sensor Merge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Texture Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Brightness Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Slant Range Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
IFSAR Project Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
IFSAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
IFSAR Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
IFSAR Collection Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
IFSAR Pixel Register Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
IFSAR Baseline Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
IFSAR Subset Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
iv
IFSAR Interfere Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
IFSAR Complex Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
IFSAR Output Map Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
GCP Tool Reference Setup (IFSAR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Reference Map Information (IFSAR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
GCP Tool (IFSAR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
StereoSAR Project Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
StereoSAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
StereoSAR Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
StereoSAR Flight Path Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
StereoSAR Subset Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
StereoSAR Registration Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
StereoSAR Regions Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
StereoSAR Correlator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
StereoSAR Output Region Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
StereoSAR Output Map Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Radar Model Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
v
Change DEM Source for SAR model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Generic SAR Node parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
vi
Introduction to Radar Data
This document discusses:
♦ Types of radar sensors

♦ What is Speckle noise?
♦ Using the Radar Interpreter Module functions:
Speckle Suppression
Edge Enhancement
Image Enhancement
Texture Analysis
Adjust Brightness
Adjust Slant Range
♦ Merging radar data with other types of data

♦ Using the Radar Interpreter Module functions with other types of data
➲ For more information, see the “Enhancement” chapter in the ERDAS Field Guide or the
ERDAS IMAGINE Tour Guides.
Radar Sensors
Radar images are generated by two different types of sensors:
♦ SLAR (Side-looking Airborne Radar) - uses an antenna which is fixed below an aircraft and
pointed to the side to transmit and receive the radar signal. (See Figure 1)
♦ SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) - uses a fixed antenna mounted on satellites and the NASA
Space Shuttle to create a synthetic aperture. The sensor transmits and receives as it is
moving. The signals received over a time interval are combined to create the image.
1
Both SLAR and SAR systems use side-looking geometry. The Radar Interpreter Module
functions allow you to correct the image for distortion due to side-looking geometry (slant range
correction) and perform sensor induced radiometric correction.
Figure 1 shows a representation of an airborne SLAR radar system. Figure 1A shows a plot
graph of the data received from the radiation transmitted in Figure 1. Notice how the data
corresponds to the terrain in Figure 1. These data can be used to produce a radar image of the
target area. (A target is any object or feature that is the subject of the radar scan.)
Antenna
Range
Direction
Beam
Width Sensor
Height
Azimuth
Direction
Azimuth Resolution
Previous Image Lines
Figure 1- SLAR Radar
Trees Hill Trees
Hill
Strength River Shadow
(DN)
Time
Figure 1A - Received Radar Signal
2
At present, three bands are commonly used for imaging radar systems. These are:
Band Frequency Wavelength Example
Range Range
X 5.20-10.90 GHZ 5.77-2.75 cm USGS SLAR
C 3.9-6.2 GHZ 3.8-7.6 cm ERS-1, Fuyo-1
L 0.39-1.55 GHZ 76.9-19.3 cm SIR-A,B, Almaz
These bands were named arbitrarily when radar was first developed by the military. Other radar
bands are:
Band Frequency Range Wavelength Range
P 0.225-0.391 GHZ 40.0-76.9 cm
S 1.55-5.20 GHZ 19.3-5.77 cm
K 10.90-36.00 GHZ 2.75-0.83 cm
Q 36.00-56.00 GHZ 0.83-0.65 cm
V 46.00-56.00 GHZ 0.65-0.536 cm
NOTE: The C band overlaps the S and X bands. These wavelength ranges may vary slightly
between sensors.
3
Moving Window Processing
Moving Window Processing

The IMAGINE Radar Interpreter Module functions use the moving window concept of
convolution, or spatial filtering. Processing is done by mathematical calculations using the pixels
in a moving window. The moving window scans the image. For example, this is a 3 x 3 moving
window:
Pixel of interest
Each pixel of the moving window can be numerically defined to weight the averages towards
certain pixels as desired. This numerically defined moving window is also known as a kernel.
The center pixel is the pixel of interest. The characteristics of that pixel (texture, edge
enhancement, speckle, etc.) are determined through a user-selected calculation involving all of
the pixels in the moving window.
Common window sizes are 3 x 3, 5 x 5, or 7 x 7. A larger moving window would use a larger
area of the image in making the calculations. There is no limit to the window size which can be
used in IMAGINE, although larger calculations necessarily take longer to compute.
4
What is Speckle Noise?
What is Speckle Noise?

An active radar sensor gives off a burst of coherent radiation which reflects from the target, unlike
a passive microwave sensor which simply receives the low-level radiation naturally emitted by
targets.
Like the light from a laser, the waves emitted by active sensors travel in phase and interact
minimally on their way to the target area. After interaction with the target area, these waves are
no longer in phase. This is due to the different distances they travel from targets, or single versus
multiple bounce scattering.
Once out of phase, radar waves can interact to produce light and dark pixels known as speckle
noise. Speckle noise must be reduced before the data can be utilized. However, the programs
used to reduce speckle noise produce changes in the image. This consideration, and the fact
that different applications and sensor outputs necessitate different speckle removal models, has
led ERDAS to offer several speckle reduction algorithms in the IMAGINE Radar Interpreter
Module functions including:
♦ Frost
♦ MAP
♦ Mean
♦ Median
♦ Lee
♦ Lee-Sigma
♦ Local Region
☞ NOTE: Since any image processing done before removal of the speckle results in the noise
being incorporated into and degrading the image, do not rectify, correct to ground range, or
in any way resample the pixel values before removing speckle noise. Functions using nearest
neighbor are technically permissible.
5
Speckle Suppression
Speckle Suppression
Frost Filter
The Frost filter replaces the pixel of interest with a weighted sum of the values within the n x n
moving window. The weighting factors decrease with distance from the pixel of interest. The
weighting factors increase for the central pixels as variance within the window increases. This
filter assumes multiplicative noise and stationary noise statistics.
The formula used is:
–α t
DN = ∑ Kαe
n×n
Where
2 2 2
α = ( 4 ⁄ nσ ) ( σ ⁄ I )
And
K =normalization constant
I =local mean
σ =local variance
σ =image coefficient of variation value
|t| =|X-X0| + |Y-Y0|
n =moving window size
Source: Lopes, Nezry, Touzi, Laur, 1990
MAP Filter (Gamma-MAP)

The Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) filter is based on a multiplicative noise model with non-
stationary mean and variance parameters. This filter assumes that the original DN value lies
between the pixel of interest DN and the moving window average.
6
Speckle Suppression
Many speckle reduction filters (e.g., Lee, Lee-Sigma, Frost) assume a Gaussian distribution for
the speckle noise. Recent work has shown this to be an invalid assumption. Natural vegetated
areas have been shown to be more properly modeled as having a Gamma distributed cross
section. This algorithm incorporates this assumption. The exact formula used is the cubic
equation:
3 2
Î – IÎ + σ ( Î – DN ) = 0
Where
Î =sought value
I = local mean
DN =input value
σ = original image variance

Source: Frost,Stiles, Shanmugan, Holtzman, 1982
Mean Filter
The Mean algorithm is a simple calculation. This calculator does not remove the aberrant
(speckle) value — it averages it into the data. In theory, a bright and a dark pixel within the same
window would cancel each other out. This consideration would argue in favor of a large window
size (i.e., 7 x 7). However, averaging results in a loss of detail, which argues for a very small
window size. In general, this is the least satisfactory method of speckle reduction. It is useful for
“quick and dirty” applications or those where loss of resolution is not a problem.
Median Filter
Better, but still simplistic, is the Median filter. This algorithm operates by arranging all DN (digital
number) values within the user-defined window in sequential order. The pixel of interest is
replaced by the value in the center of this distribution. A Median filter is useful for removing pulse
or spike noise. Pulse functions of less than one-half of the moving window width are suppressed
or eliminated. In addition, step functions or ramp functions are retained.
The effect of Mean and Median filters on various signals is shown (for one dimension) in Figure 2.
7
Speckle Suppression
ORIGINAL MEAN FILTERED MEDIAN FILTERED
Step
Ramp
Single Pulse
Double Pulse
Figure 2 - Effects of Mean and Median Filters
8
Speckle Suppression
Local Region Filter

The Local Region filter divides the moving window into eight regions based on angular position
(North, South, East, West, NW, NE, SW, and SE). Figure 3 shows a 5 x 5 moving window and
regions of the Local Region filter.
= pixel of interest
= North region
= NE region
= SW region
Figure 3 - Regions of Local Region Filter
For each region, the variance is calculated as follows:
Σ ( DN x, y – Mean ) 2
Variance = ---------------------------------------------
n–1
The algorithm compares the variance values of the regions surrounding the pixel of interest. The
pixel of interest is replaced by the mean of all DN values within the region with the lowest
variance, i.e., the most uniform region. A region with low variance is assumed to have pixels
minimally affected by wave interference yet very similar to the pixel of interest. A region of low
variance will probably be such for several surrounding pixels. The result is that the output image
is composed of numerous uniform areas, the size of which is determined by the moving window
size. In practice this filter can be used sequentially 2 or 3 times, increasing the window size with
each pass. The resultant output image is an appropriate input to a classification application.
Lee-Sigma and Lee Filters

The Lee-Sigma and Lee filters utilize the statistical distribution of the DN values within the
moving window to estimate what the pixel of interest should be.
9
Speckle Suppression
The Lee filter is based on the assumption that the mean and variance of the pixel of interest is
equal to the local mean and variance of all pixels within the user-selected moving window.
A mathematical model in which the noise is multiplicative is also assumed. Implementation of this
(and the Lee-Sigma filter) requires you to input an estimated value for sigma (σ), the coefficient
of variation within the scene of interest. Calculations based on a Rayleigh distribution model
yields a σ of 0.26 for 4-look radar data. This value is consistent with those derived from actual
data (Seasat, SIR-B). A sigma (σ) value for any data set may be derived as:
Variance
COEFFICIENT OF VARIATION = --------------------------
Mean
While a proper sigma value can be calculated for any data set, you may use any value. The
following table gives theoretical Coef. of Variation values for various look-average radar scenes:
# of Looks Coef. of Variation
(scenes) Value
1 .52
2 .37
3 .30
4 .26
6 .21
8 .18
The Lee-Sigma filter is based on the probability of a Gaussian distribution. Briefly, it is assumed
that 95.5% of random samples are within a 2 standard deviation (2 sigma) range. This noise
suppression filter replaces the pixel of interest with the average of all DN values within the
moving window that fall within the designated range.
As with the Lee filter, a coefficient of variation specific to the data set must be input. Finally, you
must specify how many standard deviations to use (2, 1, or 0.5) to define the accepted range.
Calculation of Coefficient of Variation

Speckle in imaging radar can be mathematically modeled as multiplicative noise with a mean of
1. The standard deviation of the noise can be mathematically defined as:
Variance
Standard Deviation:= -------------------------- = Coefficient Of Variation
Mean
10
Speckle Suppression
You can assume that imaging radar data noise follows a Rayleigh distribution. This would yield
a theoretical value for Standard Deviation (SD) of .52 for 1-look radar data and SD = .26 for 4-
look radar data.
To calculate the Coefficient of Variation for any image:
1. Select Speckle Suppression from the Radar | Radar Interpreter menu.
2. Select the image file to use.
3. Click the check box for Calculate Coefficient of Variation
The calculated values are displayed in the IMAGINE Session Log. To view, click on Session in
the upper left corner of the IMAGINE icon panel and select Session Log. The Coefficient of
variation is presented in the following manner:
Wed Mar 31 16:52:20 1993 Coefficient of Variation =

Wed Mar 31 16:52:20 1993
Wed Mar 31 16:52:20 1993
Wed Mar 31 16:52:20 1993 0.3591878882713854
The coefficient of variation in this example is 0.3591878882713854.
Speckle Suppression Summary

With all speckle reduction filters there is a playoff between noise reduction and loss of resolution.
Each data set and each application will have a different acceptable balance between these two
factors. The ERDAS speckle filters have been designed to be versatile and gentle in reducing
noise (and resolution).
The Local Region, Lee, and Lee-Sigma filters can all be used iteratively. You must view and
evaluate the resultant image after each pass (the data histogram is useful for this), and then
decide if another pass is appropriate and what parameters to use on the next pass. For example,
three passes of the Lee-Sigma filter with the following parameters is very effective.
Pass Sigma Value Sigma Window
Multiplier
1 0.26 0.5 3x3
2 0.26 1 5x5
3 0.26 2 7x7
11
Speckle Suppression
Similarly, there is no reason why successive passes must be of the same filter. The following
sequence is useful prior to a classification:
Filter Pass Sigma Sigma Window
Value Multiplier
Lee 1 0.26 NA 3x3
Lee 2 0.26 NA 5x5
Local Region 3 NA NA 5x5 or 7x7
12
Edge Enhancement
Edge Enhancement
High pass filters used to sharpen images are, in essence, edge enhancers. The Edge
Enhancement function is ideal for many applications where edge and line definition is important.
For example, geologists are often interested in mapping lineaments, which may be fault lines or
bedding structures.
The Edge Enhancement feature can be used on any type of image.
☞ Reduce speckle noise in radar images using the Speckle Suppression Functions prior to
edge enhancement.
➲ For more information on the Edge Enhancement program, see the ERDAS IMAGINE Tour
Guides.
13
Radar Image Enhancement

The Luminance Modification option of the Image Enhancement functions is an adaptive
enhancement filter which separates the original image into two parts—the scene luminance and
the scene contrast. These two parts are modified and recombined to create the enhanced
output image.
The Luminance Modification dialog has been designed to allow the algorithm to be versatile,
requiring only a few user inputs.
i NOTE: The IMAGINE defaults in this dialog are acceptable for most images and require no
change. However, you may want to experiment with the settings to obtain the best results.
The first decision you must make is whether the input image is:
♦ Undegraded - has acceptable overall illumination

♦ High Luminance - has an overexposed look or light cloud cover
♦ Low Luminance - has an underexposed look or is shadowed
For Undegraded images, you simply set the moving Window Size, Output Data Type, Local
Luminance Intercept and Local Contrast Multiplier.
The Local Contrast Multiplier is applied to the local contrast before recombination with the local
luminance. (Local luminance has an implied multiplier of 1.)
The Local Luminance Intercept is the output luminance value that an input luminance value of
0 would be assigned:
14
5
Input/output curve
4
Output
Local
Luminance 3
Values Local Luminance Intercept
1
1 2 3 4 5 X
0
Input Local Luminance Values
Figure 4 - Local Luminance Intercept
All other input luminance values are then assigned output values based on an input/output curve
as shown in Figure 4. This compensates for the fact that the local contrast has been multiplied
by the Local Contrast Multiplier.
For High Luminance or Low Luminance images, you must also set Min. and Max. limits on the
Range of file values for which amplified correction is to be made. These values can be extracted
from the original scene using the Inquire Cursor.
The Luminance Modification function can also be applied to images such as SPOT, Landsat, and
digitized photographs.
15
Texture Analysis
Texture Analysis
This ability of radar to detect texture is a major advantage over other types of imagery where
texture is not a quantitative characteristic. A texture measure operated through three different
moving windows can be combined into an RGB image that is useful for geologic discrimination.
The same could apply to a vegetation classification. However, each data set and each
application would have different moving window sizes that maximize the discrimination.
In IMAGINE, you can prepare an RGB image comprised of the three different measures
operating on the same (or different) moving window. The Texture Analysis function has been
designed to allow this flexibility of window size.
At present, these mathematical formulas have been incorporated into the Texture Analysis
function:
♦ Variance = f 1 ( SD ) 2
♦ Skewness = f 2 ( SD ) 3
♦ Kurtosis = f 3 ( SD ) 4
♦ Mean Euclidean Distance
16
Adjust Brightness
Adjust Brightness
The raw radar image frequently contains radiometric errors due to:
1) imperfections in the transmit and receive pattern of the radar antenna;
2) the inherently stronger signal from a closer range than a farther range target.
These two errors are corrected using the Adjust Brightness program. For this program to
correctly address the data set, you must indicate whether the lines of constant range are in
columns or rows in the displayed image. Figure 5 shows the lines of constant range in columns,
parallel to the sides of the display screen:
.
Display
Screen Lines of Constant Range
Flight
(Azimuth)
Illumination Direction
Lines
Range Direction
Figure 5 - Lines of Constant Range
The Adjust Brightness algorithm works by correcting each range line average.
☞ For this to be a valid approach, the number of data values must be large enough to provide
good average values. Be careful not to use an image that is too small.
17
Adjust Slant Range
Adjust Slant Range

Slant to Ground range correction is similar in concept to orthocorrecting a VIS/IR image. By
design, an imaging radar is always side-looking. In practice, this depression angle is usually less
than 75° . In operation, the radar sensor determines the range (distance to) each target as shown
in Figure 6:
antenna across track
θ = depression angle
C
Dists
90o
θ
A B
Distg
Figure 6 - Slant to Ground Range Correction
Assuming that angle ACB is a right angle, we can approximate:
Dist s ≈ Dist g • cos θ
Dist s = slant range distance

Dist g = ground range distance
This has the effect of compressing the near range areas more than the far range areas. For many
applications, this may not be important. However, to geocode the scene or to register radar to
infrared or visible imagery, the scene must be corrected to a ground range format. To do this,
you need the following parameters relating to the imaging geometry: (See Figure 1)
♦ Depression Angle - angular distance between sensor horizon and scene center.
♦ Sensor Height - elevation of sensor (in meters) above its nadir point.
♦ Beam Width - angular distance between near range and far range for entire scene.
18
Adjust Slant Range
♦ Pixel Resolution - range resolution at scene center.

Once the scene is range-format corrected, pixel size can be changed for coregistration with other
data sets.
19
Complementary Data Sets
Complementary Data Sets

The nature of the surface phenomena involved in radar imaging is inherently different from that
of VIS/IR images. When VIS/IR radiation strikes a surface it is either absorbed or reflected. The
absorption is based on the molecular bonds in the (surface) material. Thus, this imagery gives
information on the chemical composition of the target.
When radar microwaves strike a surface they are reflected depending on the physical and
electrical properties of the surface, rather than the chemical composition. The strength of radar
return is affected by slope, roughness, and vegetation cover. The conductivity of a target area is
related to the porosity of the soil and its water content.
Consequently, radar and VIS/IR data are complementary; they give different information about
the same area. An image in which these two data types are intelligently combined presents much
more information than either image by itself.
Merging Radar Data

Many methods have been proposed to “merge” radar images with VIS/IR imagery or other data
such as AVHRR. The simplest method is to let the radar image be one layer in an RGB image.
The other two channels could be bands, band ratios, PCs, etc. However, this technique does not
really integrate the two data types. Other methods include:
♦ Replace the first principal component with the radar image.

♦ Convert RGB -->IHS, replace I (intensity) or S (saturation) with radar, and convert back to
RGB.
♦ Remove the achromatic component from an image via band ratio, PC’s, etc. Re-insert the
radar as the achromatic character via various mathematical operations.
20
Using the Radar Interpreter Module functions with Non-Radar Data
Using the Radar Interpreter Module functions with Non-Radar Data

♦ The Median filter is useful for noise suppression in any image. It does not affect step or ramp
functions; it is an edge preserving filter. It is also applicable in removing pulse function noise.
An example of that application is the removal of dead-detector striping, such as is found in
Landsat 4 TM data.
♦ The statistical filters (Lee-Sigma and Lee) are logically applicable to any data set for
preprocessing. Any sensor system has various sources of noise resulting in a few erratic
pixels. Most natural scenes follow a normal distribution of DN values, thus filtering at 2 or 3
standard deviations should remove this noise. This is particularly true of experimental sensor
systems that frequently have significant noise problems.
♦ The Adjust Brightness radiometric correction algorithm is based on correcting each range
line to the numerical average value of the entire scene. This is similar in concept to algorithms
used to correct for DC offset differences in array detectors. These unbalanced offsets cause
image striping.
♦ The Luminance Modification option of the Image Enhancement options is extremely useful
for all types of remotely sensed images. The luminance suppression option is applicable to
scenes with haze or low density cloud coverage.
♦ The Edge Enhancement kernels are directly applicable to non-radar images.

♦ The Coefficient of Variation, as a scene-derived parameter, is useful in evaluating and
modifying VIS/IR data for input to a 4-band composite image or in preparing a 3-band ratio
color composite.
21
Radar Mapping Suite
Radar Mapping Suite

This menu provides access to the Radar Mapping Suite image processing functions. It is
opened when you click the Radar icon on the IMAGINE icon panel.
i Much of this functionality is available only through the purchase and installation of add-on
modules. See your ERDAS representative for details.
IFSAR To access the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog, click the IFSAR button on the Radar
menu. IMAGINE IFSAR DEM creates digital elevation models (DEMs).
StereoSAR To access the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM dialog, click the StereoSAR button
on the Radar menu. IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM creates digital elevation models (DEMs).
OrthoRadar To access the IMAGINE OrthoRadar dialog, click the OrthoRadar button on
the Radar menu. IMAGINE OrthoRadar corrects terrain distortion in radar images.
Radar Interpreter Select this option to access the IMAGINE Radar Interpreter menu,
which provides native radar image enhancement functions.
Generic SAR Node Select Generic SAR Node to access ephemeris information
contained in the header files of radar images. The Generic SAR node parameters dialog
opens.
Close Select this option to close this dialog.
Help Select this option to see this On-Line Help document.

➲ For more information about Radar processing, see Introduction to Radar Data.
➲ For information on using the ERDAS IMAGINE graphical interface, see the on-line IMAGINE
Interface manual.
➲ For more information about using radar data in ERDAS IMAGINE, see the ERDAS IMAGINE
Tour Guides or the “Enhancement” chapter in the ERDAS Field Guide.
➲ For information on using IFSAR, AtereoSAR, or OrthoRadar, refer to the IMAGINE Radar
Mapping Suite Tour Guide.
22
Radar Interpreter
Radar Interpreter
This menu provides access to the native Radar Interpreter Module image enhancement
functions. It is opened when you click the Radar icon, then select Radar Interpreter.
Speckle Suppression ... Select this option to access the speckle suppression filters
which reduce speckle in radar data. The Speckle Suppression dialog is opened.
Edge Enhancement ... Select this option to access the edge enhancement filters which
help to delineate edges in radar data. The Edge Enhancement dialog is opened.
Image Enhancement ... Select this option to access the radar image enhancement
options including the Wallis Adaptive Filter. The Image Enhancement menu is displayed.
Texture Analysis ... Select this option to access an algorithm which helps detect texture
patterns in radar data. The Texture Analysis dialog is opened.
Adjust Brightness ... Select this option to correct illuminance falloff which is caused by
the side-looking nature of radar sensors. The Brightness Adjustment dialog is opened.
Adjust Slant Range ... Select this option to geometrically correct the slant-to-ground
range angle, which is similar to ortho-correcting an aerial photograph. The Slant Range
Adjustment dialog is opened.
Interface manual.
➲ For more information about using radar data in ERDAS IMAGINE, see the ERDAS IMAGINE
Tour Guides or the “Enhancement” chapter in the ERDAS Field Guide.
23
Radar Speckle Suppression

This dialog lets you reduce the speckle noise in an image. To open this dialog, select Radar
Interpreter | Speckle Suppression from the Radar menu.
Once out of phase, radar waves interact to produce light and dark pixels known as speckle
noise. Speckle noise must be reduced before the data can be utilized. However, the programs
used to reduce speckle noise will also produce changes in the image. This consideration, and
the need for different speckle removal models for different applications and sensors, has led
ERDAS to offer several speckle reduction filters in the IMAGINE native Radar Interpreter Module
functions: Mean, Median, Lee-Sigma, Local Region, Lee, Frost, and Gamma-MAP.
☞ NOTE: Since any image processing done before removal of the speckle results in the noise
being incorporated into and degrading the image, do not rectify, correct to ground range, or
in any way resample the pixel values before removing speckle noise. Functions using nearest
neighbor are technically permissible.
Input File: Enter the name of the file to process or click on the File Selector button. The
default file extension is .img.
Output File: Enter the name of the output file or click on the File Selector button. The
.img extension is automatically added.
Coordinate Type: Click the appropriate radio button to select the type of coordinates to
use. If the input file does not have map coordinates, then the coordinate type will
automatically default to File.
Map Click to use map coordinates, if the data have been rectified.
File Click to use file coordinates, which are pixels, starting with 0,0 in the upper left
corner.
Subset Definition: Use this group to define a subset area of the data for speckle
suppression. The coordinates of the subset may be derived from an inquire box in the Viewer
or by entering explicit X,Y values for the upper left and lower right corners of the subset. The
default coordinates are the entire input image.
From Inquire Box Click this button to define a subset area of the data by using the
Viewer Inquire Box. When you use this function, the coordinate fields below are updated
with the coordinates of the cursor box in the Viewer.
To change these coordinates, you can move and/or resize the cursor box in the Viewer,
then click this button again.
24
i The image you are using and the Inquire Box must already be displayed in a Viewer in order
to use this option. Otherwise, you may manually enter coordinates in the fields below.
UL X: Upper Left X coordinate
UL Y: Upper Left Y coordinate
LR X: Lower Right X coordinate
LR Y: Lower Right Y coordinate
Data Type: This group displays the Input data type and lets you select the Output Data
Type. (The default Output Data Type is float single.)
Input: Shows the data type of the selected input file.
Output: Click the popup list button to select the data type for the output file. In the native
Radar Interpreter Module functions, the precision implied in 32-bit data is retained rather
than truncated after each step. When processing large scenes, this can produce very
large data files. Therefore, you may want to output the data to a more compact, but less
precise, format.
Moving Window: Enter the moving window size below.

Window Size: Enter the moving window size. This must be an odd number. If you enter
an even number, IMAGINE will automatically add one (+1) to make it an odd number.
Output Options: This group lets you select options for the output file.
Coef. of Var. Multiplier: Click the appropriate radio button to select the coefficient of
variation multiplier. This option is enabled when using the Lee-Sigma, Lee, Frost and
MAP filters.
Filter: Click the popup list button to select the speckle suppression filter to use for this
pass.
Mean The Mean filter calculates an average of pixel values within the moving
window.
Median The Median filter selects the value in the middle of the range of values within
the moving window.
Lee-Sigma The Lee-Sigma filter uses the average of all pixel values within the
moving window that fall within the designated range of standard deviations.
Local Region The Local Region filter uses the mean value of the pixels in the local
region of the moving window having the lowest variance.
25
Lee The Lee filter is based on the assumption that the mean and variance of the pixel
of interest is equal to the local mean and variance of all pixels within the user-selected
moving window.
Frost The Frost filter is a minimum mean square error algorithm which adapts to the
local statistics of the image to preserve edges and small features.
Gamma-MAP The MAP filter maximizes the a posteriori probability density function.
This filter attempts to derive the original pixel value which must lie between the local
average and the degraded pixel value.
Coef. of Variation: Set the coefficient of variation to any number. This number can be
obtained by using the Calculate the Coefficient Of Variation function. It should be re-
calculated after each pass of the filter. This option is enabled when using the Lee-Sigma,
Lee, Frost and MAP filters.
Calculate Coefficient of Variation Click to calculate the coefficient of variation for

any type of data. The results are displayed in the Session Log. The coefficient of variation
is needed for the Lee-Sigma, Lee, Frost, and MAP filters.
This should be re-calculated after each pass of the filter.

Ignore Zero in Statistics When this check box is on, pixels with zero file values will be
ignored when statistics are calculated for the output file.
OK Click to run this program with the options selected and close this dialog.
Batch Click to include this function in a batch file.
Cancel Click to cancel this process and close this dialog.
Help Click to see this On-Line Help document.

Interface manual.
➲ For more information, see Radar Imagery Enhancement in the “Enhancement” chapter of the
ERDAS Field Guide, the ERDAS IMAGINE Tour Guides, and speckle noise in this on-line
manual.
26
Edge Enhancement
Edge Enhancement
This dialog lets you enhance edges, lines, or spots in an image. This program is useful for any
type of image. To open this dialog, select Radar Interpreter | Edge Enhancement from the
Radar menu.
use. If the input file does not have map coordinates, then the coordinate type automatically
defaults to File.
corner.
Subset Definition: Use this group to define a subset area of the data for Edge
Enhancement. The coordinates of the subset may be derived from an inquire box in the
Viewer or by entering explicit X,Y values for the upper left and lower right corners of the
subset. The default coordinates are the entire input image.
From Inquire Box Click to define a subset area of the data by using the Viewer Inquire
Box. When you click this button, the coordinates below are updated with the coordinates
of the cursor box in the Viewer.
Kernel Definition: Enter the numeric definition for each pixel in the kernel.
27
Edge Enhancement
Data Type: This group displays the Input Data Type and lets you select the Output Data
Type.
precise, format.
The default Output Data Type is float single.
Filter: Click the popup list button to select the edge detection filter to be used for this
pass.
Robinson 3-level
Multilevel
Prewitt Gradient
Kirsch
Unweighted Line
Weighted Line
These filters are described in detail in the Radar Imagery Enhancement section of the
“Enhancement” chapter in the ERDAS Field Guide.
Size: Click the popup list button to select the window size for this pass: 3 x 3, 5 x 5, or
7 x 7.
The size option is available for the Robinson 3-level, and Unweighted and Weighted
Line filters only. The default for other filters is 3 x 3.
Direction: Click the popup list button to select the gradient direction to be enhanced.
Ignore Zero in Stats. When this check box is on, pixels with zero file values will be
OK Click to run the program with the options selected and close this dialog.
28
Edge Enhancement
Interface manual.
➲ For more information on using radar data, see the ERDAS IMAGINE Tour Guides or the
29
Image Enhancement
Image Enhancement
This menu provides access to the image enhancement options described below. It is displayed
when you select the Radar icon, then Radar Interpreter | Image Enhancement.
Wallis Adaptive Filter ... Select this option to use the Wallis adaptive filter. The Wallis
Adaptive Filter dialog is opened.
Luminance Modification ... Select this option to modify scene luminance. The
Luminance Modification dialog is opened.
Sensor Merge ... Select this option to perform a resolution merge. The Sensor Merge
dialog is opened.
Close Click to close this dialog.
Help Click to see this On-line Help document.

Interface manual.
➲ For more information about using radar data, see the ERDAS IMAGINE Tour Guides or the
30
Wallis Adaptive Filter

This dialog enables you to use the Wallis adaptive filter to enhance radar imagery. It is opened
when you click the Radar icon, then Radar Interpreter. From there, click the Image
Enhancement button and select Wallis Adaptive Filter.
corner.
Subset Definition: Use this group to define a subset area of the data for enhancement.
The coordinates of the subset may be derived from an inquire box in the Viewer or by entering
explicit X,Y values for the upper left and lower right corners of the subset. The default
coordinates are the entire input image.
The image you are using must already be displayed in a Viewer and the Inquire Box open
in order to use this option.
Type.
31
Output: Click the popup list button to select the data type for the output file.
In the native Radar Interpreter Module functions, the precision implied in 32-bit data is
retained rather than truncated after each step. When processing large scenes, this can
produce very large data files. Therefore, you may want to output the data to a more
compact, but less precise, format.
Stretch to Unsigned 8 Bit. Click to stretch the input image to unsigned 8-bit format.
Moving Window: Select the window size to use.

Window Size: Enter the window size to use. Enter only odd numbers. For example,
entering a 3 specifies a 3 x 3 window.
Options: Click the popup list button to select the filtering option to use.
Bandwise Select this option to use bandwise filtering. Each band is filtered
independently.
IHS Select this option to transform the image to IHS (intensity, hue, saturation) and filter
the intensity component of the image. The image is then transformed back into RGB
space.
You must select the bands to assign to red, green, and blue below since this function can
operate on only three bands.
R: Enter the band to assign to the red color gun.
G: Enter the band to assign to the green color gun.

B: Enter the band to assign to the blue color gun.
PC Select this option to filter by computing the principal components of the image. The
first principal component band is filtered. Then an inverse principal components
transformation is performed.
Multiplier: Enter the value to use for the multiplier factor to be applied to the scene
contrast. The default is 2.0.
32

Interface manual.
33
Luminance Modification
This dialog lets you enhance an image by altering the local contrast and luminance. It is
opened when you select Luminance Modification from the Image Enhancement menu, which
is accessed by clicking the Radar icon, then selecting Radar Interpreter.
corner.
Subset Definition: Use this group to define a subset area of the data for enhancement.
The coordinates of the subset may be derived from an inquire box in the Viewer or by entering
explicit X,Y values for the upper left and lower right corners of the subset. The default
coordinates are the entire input image.
i The image you are using and the inquire box must already be displayed in a Viewer in order
to use the From Inquire Box option. Otherwise, you may manually enter coordinates in the
fields below.
34
Type.
Output: Click the popup list button to select the data type for the output file.
In the native Radar Interpreter Module functions, the precision implied in 32-bit data is
retained rather than truncated after each step. When processing large scenes, this can
produce very large data files. Therefore, you may want to output the data to a more
compact, but less precise, format.
an even number, IMAGINE will automatically add one (+1) to make the number odd.
Local Contrast: This group lets you define the values for the local contrast
enhancement.
Objective: Click the popup list button to select the desired objective for this pass.
Undegraded Image Select this option for images with high overall uniform
illumination.
Low Luminance Select this option for images with an underexposed look or
shadows.
High Luminance Select this option for images with an overexposed look or light
cloud cover.
Multiplier: Enter the multiplier factor to be applied to the scene contrast.
Range: Enter the range of DN (digital number) values for the Local Contrast. (These
values can be extracted from the original scene using the Inquire Cursor.)
Min: Enter the minimum range value to use.
Max: Enter the maximum range value to use.
Local Luminance Intercept: Enter the intercept value for the local luminance scene.
Stretch to Unsigned 8 bit Perform a min,max stretch to the range 0-255.
35

Interface manual.
36
Sensor Merge
Sensor Merge
This dialog enables you to integrate imagery of different spatial resolutions (pixel size). Sensor
Merge offers three techniques: Multiplicative, IHS, and Principal Components.
♦ Multiplicative is based on a simple arithmetic integration of the two raster sets.

♦ The IHS merge transforms the RGB image to IHS and replaces I (intensity) or S (saturation)
with the gray scale image, then transforms it back into RGB space.
♦ The Principal Components merge computes the principal components of the multispectral
image, then replaces PC-1 with the gray scale image. An inverse principal components is
then performed.
This dialog is opened when you select Sensor Merge from the Image Enhancement menu.
Gray Scale Image: Enter the name of the high resolution image to use or click on the
File Selector button. The default file extension is .img.
Select Layer: Click the popup list button to select the layer to use for the merge.
Multispectral Image: Enter the name of the multispectral image to use or click on the
File Selector button. The default file extension is .img.
Number of layers: Shows the number of layers in the multispectral image.
Output File: Enter a name for the merged output file or click on the File Selector button.
The .img extension will be added automatically.
Method: Click on the appropriate radio button to select the method of computation to use
for the merge.
Principal Component This method calculates principal components, remaps the high
resolution image into the data range of PC-1 and substitutes it for PC-1, then applies an
inverse principal components transformation.
IHS This method replaces the I (intensity) or S (saturation) portion of the multispectral
image with the gray scale image.
Multiplicative This method applies a simple multiplicative algorithm which integrates

the two raster images.
Resampling Techniques: Click on the appropriate radio button to select the method
of resampling for this computation.
37
Sensor Merge
These resampling techniques are discussed in the “Rectification” chapter of the ERDAS
Field Guide.
Nearest Neighbor Select the resampling technique to be used on the multispectral

image.
Bilinear Interpolation Select the resampling technique to be used on the multispectral

image
Cubic Convolution Select the resampling technique to be used on the multispectral

image
Data Type: This group gives information about the input and output file data types.
Gray Scale: Shows the data type of the high resolution input file.
Multispectral: Shows the data type of the multispectral input file.
Output: Click the popup list button to select the data type for the output file. Select from
these displayed files:
Unsigned 1 bit
Unsigned 2 bit
Unsigned 4 bit
Unsigned 8 bit
Signed 8 bit
Unsigned 16 bit
Signed 16 bit
Unsigned 32 bit
Signed 32 bit
Float Single
Float Double
Complex Single
Complex Double
Output Options:
38
Sensor Merge
Stretch to Unsigned 8 bit. Perform a min,max stretch to the range 0-255.
Ignore Zero in Stats. Ignore the zero value for statistics in the output file.
Gray Scale Modification: If the Principal Component method is selected above, you
can select one of the options below to modify the gray scale image before it replaces PC-1.
Remap Click to remap the data file values of the gray scale image to the same range of
values found in PC-1. This helps reduce distortion when the inverse principal components
is calculated.
Histoeq Click to match the histogram of the gray scale image to that of PC-1.
Multiply Click to multiply the data file values of the gray scale image by the data file
values of PC-1. The gray scale data file values are first remapped to a 0.0 to 1.0 range.
None Click to use the gray scale image without modification.
Layer Selection: If you are using the Principal Component or Multiplicative method,
you must select the input layers to use.
Number of Multispectral Input layers: Shows the number of layers in the multispectral
input file.
Select Layers: Enter the layers to input as a comma separated list, for example: 1,3,5.
Or enter a range of layers using a colon, for example: 2:5.
IHS Substitution: If the IHS method is selected above, you can select whether to
replace I (intensity) or S (saturation) with the gray scale image.
Intensity Click to replace intensity with the gray scale image.

Saturation Click to replace saturation with the gray scale image.
R: Enter the band to assign to the red color gun.
G: Enter the band to assign to the green color gun.
B: Enter the band to assign to the blue color gun.
Stretch to Unsigned 8 bit. Click to stretch the range of data values in the output file to
0 - 255.
39
Sensor Merge
Ignore Zero in Stats. When this check box is on, pixels with zero file values are ignored
when statistics are calculated for the output file.
AOI ... Click this button and the Choose AOI dialog will display. This dialog lets you select
an AOI (area of interest) in the image to which to apply this function.

Interface manual.
40
Texture Analysis
Texture Analysis
This dialog assists you in detecting texture in a radar image. It is opened when you click the
Radar icon, then click Radar Interpreter. Select Texture Analysis.
use.If the input file does not have map coordinates, then the coordinate type will automatically
default to File.
Map Click to use map coordinates, if the data are rectified.
corner.
Subset Definition: Use this group to define a subset area of the data for speckle
suppression. The coordinates of the subset may be derived from an inquire box in the Viewer
default coordinates are the entire input image.
Type.
41
Texture Analysis
precise, format.
Moving Window: Enter the size of the moving window below.

an even number, IMAGINE will automatically add one (+1) to make the number odd.
Operators: Click the popup list button to select the mathematical formula to use for texture
analysis. These operators are described in detail in the Radar Imagery Enhancement section
of the “Enhancement” chapter of the ERDAS Field Guide.
Variance
Skewness
Kurtosis
Mean Euclidean Distance

Interface manual.
➲ For more information, see the “Enhancement” chapter in the ERDAS Field Guide or the
ERDAS IMAGINE Tour Guides manual.
42
Brightness Adjustment
This dialog enables you to adjust the brightness variation in a radar image. To reach this dialog,
select Radar Interpreter | Adjust Brightness... from the Radar menu.
The Adjust Brightness algorithm works by correcting each range line average. For this program
to correctly address the data set, you must indicate whether the lines of constant range are in
columns or rows.
use. If the input file does not have map coordinates, the coordinate type will automatically
default to File.
Map Click to use map coordinates, if the data are rectified.
corner.
Subset Definition: Use this group to define a subset area of the data for brightness
adjustment. The coordinates of the subset may be derived from an inquire box in the Viewer
default coordinates are the entire input file.
From Inquire Box Click this button to define a subset area of the data by using the
Viewer Inquire Box. When you click this button, the coordinates below are updated with
the coordinates of the cursor box in the Viewer.
UL X: The upper left X coordinate of the subset area.
UL Y: The upper left Y coordinate of the subset area.
LR X: The lower right X coordinate of the subset area.
LR Y: The lower right Y coordinate of the subset area.
43
Type.
precise, format.
The default Output is float single.
Apply to: Click the appropriate radio button to indicate whether the lines of constant
range are in Rows or Columns in the displayed image.
Row Apply brightness adjustment to the row.
Column Apply brightness adjustment to the column.
OK Click to run this process with the options selected and close this dialog.
Cancel Click to cancel this process and close this dialog. The job will not be run.

Interface manual.
➲ For more information see the section on Radar Imagery Enhancement in the “Enhancement”
chapter of the ERDAS Field Guide and the ERDAS IMAGINE Tour Guides manual.
44
Slant Range Adjustment

This dialog lets you adjust the slant range to the ground range. Slant to ground range correction
is similar in concept to orthocorrecting a VIS/IR image. By design, an imaging radar is always
side-looking. To geocode the scene or to register radar to infrared or visible imagery, the scene
must be corrected to a ground range format.
To perform slant to ground correction, click the Radar icon, then click Radar Interpreter. Select
Adjust Slant Range.
Input File: Enter the name of the file to process or click the File Selector button. The
Output File: Enter the name of the output file or click the File Selector button. The .img
extension is automatically added.
Output Resolution: Click the popup list button to select the type of output resolution.
Same as Input Select this option to make the output file resolution the same as the
input file resolution.
User Specified Select this option to specify the output file resolution using the
number field that is enabled by this selection.
Type.
precise, format.
The default Output Data Type is Float Single.
Sensor Info: Use this group to enter the following information about the sensor.
Depression Angle: Enter the angular distance between sensor horizon and scene
center. Click the popup list button to select Deg (degrees)or Rad (radians).
45
Beam Width: Enter the angular distance between near range and far range for entire
scene. Click the popup list button to select Deg (degrees)or Rad (radians).
Height: Enter the elevation of the sensor above its nadir point. Click the popup list button
to select Meters or Feet.
Apply to: Click the appropriate radio button to indicate whether the lines of constant
range are in Rows or Columns in the selected image.
Surface Definition: This group lets you define the area covered by the image as a Flat
surface or a Spheroid surface.
Flat Click to define the area covered by the image as a flat surface.
Spheroid Click to enable the options for defining the spheroid.
Spheroid Name: Click the list button to select the spheroid to use.
See the “Cartography” chapter in the ERDAS Field Guide or the on-line Spheroids and
Datums document for more information about these spheroids.
Latitude of Image Center: Enter the latitude of the image center in Deg (degrees) or
Rad (radians).

Interface manual.
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IFSAR Project Selector
IFSAR Project Selector

The IFSAR Project Selector allows you to either open an existing IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project
or create a new one. This dialog opens when you click the IFSAR button on the Radar menu.
Select a New or Existing IFSAR Project In this section of the IFSAR Project
Selector dialog, you specify a new or existing IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project file that you
would like to work on. IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project files have the .ifp extension.
New IFSAR Project The New IFSAR Project button is selected by default. An Open New
IFSAR Project dialog opens in which you can type a name for the new project. IMAGINE
IFSAR DEM automatically appends the .ifp extension. Once you accept the new project
name by clicking OK, the main IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog opens to the first step of
DEM generation, Input.
Existing IFSAR Project Click this button to open an existing IMAGINE IFSAR DEM
project, which you select from a standard File Selector. The main IMAGINE IFSAR DEM
dialog opens to the step yet to be executed in DEM generation for that particular project.
OK Click OK to open either a new or existing IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project.

If you choose to create a new IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project, a File Selector called Open
New IFSAR Project opens in which you can type a name for the project.
If you choose to open an existing IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project, then a File Selector called
Open IFSAR Project opens, from which you can select the project.
Close Click Close to end the project selection process. The IFSAR Project Selector dialog
closes without opening the main IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog.
Help Click Help to open this On-Line Help document.
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IFSAR
IFSAR
This is the main dialog of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM module. The dialog opens when you click
the Radar icon of the ERDAS IMAGINE icon panel, click the IFSAR button in the Radar
menu, and then choose a new or existing IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project from the IFSAR
Project Selector dialog.
The IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog has Process Steps listed along the left side of the
dialog that you work through to create a digital elevation model (DEM). As you work on a step,
it is indicated with a red arrow. After you complete and execute a step with the icon, it is
indicated with a blue check mark.
You do not have to execute all of the Process Steps. For example, if you prefer not to use the
Subset step, you can proceed to Interfere.
Process Steps
Input In the Input step you select the reference and match images you are going to use to
generate the DEM. The Input step has built-in checks that ensure you have the best possible
geometry with which to create the DEM.
For example, the sensor that obtained the reference image must be closest to the imaged
area. If IMAGINE IFSAR DEM determines that this is not the case, it automatically adjusts the
images for you in the Input panel.
Register In the Register step you collect a point that is visible in both the reference and the
match image so that the images can be registered.
You have access to the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool and the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool
from this step. In the Register step you can also correct the flight paths of the sensors.
Subset Subsetting your images is optional. You access the IFSAR Subset Tool from this
step, which allows you to limit your DEM output to just a portion of the image. You choose
subset coordinates in the reference image only, match image coordinates update accordingly.
Ref. DEM In the Ref. DEM step, you have the option of inputting a DEM to help create the
new DEM. An input DEM allows IMAGINE IFSAR DEM to calculate local slopes on a pixel-
by-pixel basis instead of using a constant slope.
☞ The Ref. DEM step is not operational with this version of IMAGINE IFSAR DEM.
Interfere The Interfere process calculates the slope needed to generate phase, wrapped,
and correlation images. It applies a constant slope to the entire image.
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IFSAR
Constrain When you use Constrain, it allows you to identify portions of an image to unwrap
last.
☞ The Constrain step is not operational with this version of IMAGINE IFSAR DEM.
Unwrap In the Unwrap step you specify the Correlation Cutoff and Threshold values IFSAR
considers when it unwraps the phase image.
Height In the Height step you give the output DEM a name and specify its spacing (cell
size). Additionally, you can correct the flight paths of the sensors in this step.
Click to change directories for your output files at any time during the DEM generation
process. The IFSAR Options dialog opens.
Click this icon to access the IFSAR Collection Information dialog. In it, you can obtain
details about the position of the sensors relative to each other and the ground as they
captured the images you are working with.
Click to process all previously entered steps for the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project. You
can process after each step, or only twice during the DEM generation process. The time to
run depends on the number of steps being processed.
Prev Click to go back to the previous step of the DEM generation process. The center of
the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog changes.
Next Click to record the current parameters for the step and proceed to the next step of the
DEM generation process. The center of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog changes.
Save Click to save the current IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project.
Close Click to dismiss the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog.
Help Click to open this On-line Help document.
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IFSAR
Input
The Input step begins the DEM generation process. Select from a file selector or enter the name
of the reference and match images to be used for creating a DEM. New IMAGINE IFSAR DEM
projects, which have the .ifp extension, always begin with this step.
☞ If you plan to use imported ERS data, make sure that you import the ERS scene as two
integer layers (i.e., magnitude and phase). For information on importing and exporting, see
Import/Export.
Reference Image Enter the reference image to use when creating the DEM. Click the
icon to open the File Selector dialog. The reference image must be closer to the area
being imaged than the match image. IMAGINE IFSAR DEM has built-in checks to confirm that
this is the case. The generated DEM will be in the same coordinate system as the reference
image, unless you change it using the Set button in the Height step.
Date: Displays the date the selected reference image was acquired. This information
comes from the header of the image file.
Start Time: Displays when the reference image acquisition began. This information
End Time: Displays when the reference image acquisition ended. This information comes
from the header of the image file.
Duration: Displays the amount of time to acquire the reference image. This information
Lines: Displays the number of lines of data in the image. This information comes from the
header of the image file. This information can also be found as height in the ImageInfo
dialog.
Samples: Displays the number of columns of data in the image. This information comes
from the header of the image file. This information can also be found as width in the
ImageInfo dialog.
Flight Path: Displays whether or not the original orbit of the reference image has been
altered. If the flight path is in its original state, it lists ‘original;’ if the flight path has been
corrected using the IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool, it lists ‘corrected.’
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IFSAR
Match Image Enter the match image to use when creating your DEM. Click the icon
to open the File Selector dialog. The match image must be farther away from the area being
imaged than the reference image. IMAGINE IFSAR DEM has built-in checks to confirm that
this is the case.
Date: Displays the date the match image was acquired. This information comes from the
header of the image file.
Start Time: Displays when the match image acquisition began. This information comes
from the header of the image file.
End Time: Displays when the match image acquisition ended. This information comes
from the image header file.
Duration: Displays the amount of time to acquire the match image. This information
comes from the image header file.
Lines: Displays the number of lines of data in the image. This information comes from the
image header file. This information can also be found as height in the ImageInfo dialog.
Samples: Displays the number of columns of data in the image. This information comes
from the image header file. This information can also be found as width in the ImageInfo
dialog.
Flight Path: Displays whether or not the original orbit of the match image has been
altered. If the flight path is in its original state, it lists ‘original’; if the flight path has been
corrected using the IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool, it lists ‘corrected.’
Register
The second step in the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM DEM generation process requires you to register
the match image to the reference image by selecting a common point in each. To register the
images, you use the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool and the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool.
Click this icon to start the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool. With it, you can select a common
point in the reference and match images. This allows the tool to record X and Y Offset, which
will then be transferred to the Register panel of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog. The
IFSAR Pixel Register Tool measures in whole pixels of offset.
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IFSAR
You can use the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool alone or in conjunction with the IFSAR Subpixel
Register Tool; however, your DEM will be more accurate if you use the IFSAR Pixel Register
Tool with the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool.
Click this icon to start the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool. With it, you can obtain a
more precise registration between the reference and match images. The X Offset, Y Offset
and Y Stretch values are then transferred to the Register panel of the main IMAGINE IFSAR
DEM dialog. The IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool measures in fractions of pixels of offset.
After registering the two images, you can click the Correct Flight Paths icon to correct
the flight paths of the reference and match images in parallel. This icon is not active until the
offset values have been calculated. This tool uses the Baseline value reported in the IFSAR
Collection Information dialog to determine how much to adjust the match image once the
reference image has been adjusted.
First, you choose from where you are going to collect reference points in the GCP Tool
Reference SetUp dialog. Then, the IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool opens, as well as
a GCP Tool, and three IMAGINE Viewers displaying the reference image at different
resolutions. You can collect ground control points in the reference image with which to correct
the flight path.
Click this icon to correct the flight path of the match image. The IFSAR Baseline
Adjustment dialog opens. In it, you can enter a new Baseline value, the distance between
the sensor that obtained the match image and the sensor that obtained the reference image.
Increasing the Baseline value moves the sensors farther apart; decreasing the Baseline value
moves the sensors closer together.
Click this icon to reset the reference and match flight paths to their original state. This
information is derived from the image header file. Resetting the flight paths changes any
Baseline value you may have set in the IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog. Check the
IFSAR Collection Information dialog for the new flight path information.
Pixel Registration The number fields in the Pixel Registration section of the Register
panel are updated when you use the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool to record the offset between
the reference and match images.
X Offset: This number field shows offset between the reference and match images in
the X, or sample, direction. Offset is measured in pixels.
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IFSAR
Y Offset: This number field shows offset between the reference and match images in
the Y, or line, direction. Offset is measured in pixels.
Subpixel Registration The number fields in the Subpixel Registration section of the
Register panel are updated when you use the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool to record the
offset and stretch between the reference and match images.
Subpixel registration begins with the offset identified by the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool, then
computes offset in fractions of a pixel to obtain a more accurate fit between the reference and
match images.
X Offset: This number field shows offset in the X, or sample, direction. Offset is
measured in pixels and fractions of pixels.
Y Offset: This number field shows offset in the Y, or line, direction. Offset is measured
in pixels and fractions of pixels.
X Stretch: This number field shows stretch in the X, or sample direction. Stretch is
measured in pixels. Stretch can be thought of as warping the match image to
accommodate the offset values, and fit the reference image.
Y Stretch: This number field shows stretch in the Y, or line direction. Stretch is measured
in pixels. Stretch can be thought of as warping the match image to accommodate the
offset values, and fit the reference image.
Subset
By default, the Subset check box is not activated and the subset options are not enabled. You
can accept the default coordinates and proceed to the next step of processing by clicking Next.
This accepts the default coordinates in the upper left X (UL X), upper left Y (UL Y), lower right X
(LR X) and lower right Y (LR Y) number fields.
Select this icon to enter the subset coordinates for your image. The IFSAR Subset
Tool opens, as well as an IMAGINE Viewer displaying the reference image and an IMAGINE
Viewer displaying the match image.
Reference: By default, the coordinates displayed in the Reference section of the IFSAR
Subset Tool represent the region of overlap common to the reference and match images.
Enter the new subset coordinates for the corners of the reference image’s subset region in
these number fields.
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IFSAR
UL X: Enter the upper left X coordinate in this number field. This field is also updated
automatically when you graphically create a region using the icon.
UL Y: Enter the upper left Y coordinate in this number field. This field is also updated
automatically when you graphically create a region.
LR X: Enter the lower right X coordinate in this number field. This field is also updated
LR Y: Enter the lower right Y coordinate in this number field. This field is also updated
Match: The coordinates you see in the Match section of the Subset panel are determined
by both the X and Y Offset recorded in the previous Register step and the subset coordinates
that are set in the reference image. You cannot alter the match image coordinates directly.
UL X: ULX displays the upper left X coordinate.
UL Y: ULY displays the upper left Y coordinate.
LR X: LRX displays the lower right X coordinate.
LR Y: LRY displays the lower right Y coordinate.
Display the IFSAR subset tool
Output Reference Image: Output Reference Image displays the name of the reference
image created by the subset process. After processing, the Output Reference Image is
located in the Work Images Directory you specify in the IFSAR Options dialog. Click the
icon to display the Output Reference Image.
Output Match Image: Displays the name of the match image created by the Subset
process. After processing, the Output Match Image is located in the Work Images Directory
you specify in the IFSAR Options dialog. Click on the icon to display the Output Match
Image.
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IFSAR
Ref. DEM
This step allows you to use an existing DEM to generate a new DEM. In this step, you can
calculate height on a point-by-point basis instead of using a general elevation for the entire
image.
☞ The Ref. DEM step is not operational with this version of IMAGINE IFSAR DEM.
Interfere
The Interfere step generates the interferogram, comprised of coherence and phase images. The
interferogram is then processed in the next step, Unwrap.
Click this icon to start the IFSAR Complex Filter dialog. In the IFSAR Complex Filter
dialog, you can control the Size of the complex filter in the X and Y direction as well as the
Step factor of the complex filter in the X and Y direction. These values determine how many
pixels are considered to generate the interferogram.
Click this icon to start the IFSAR Interfere Tool. In the IFSAR Interfere Tool, you can
find the local range and azimuth slopes.
Flattening Slopes Specify the X and Y slopes to be used for phase flattening. For most
interferometric pairs, the default slope values of 0.0 and 0.0 are fine. These cause one
interferogram to be generated with phase proportional to the DEM heights. For some extreme
cases, picking slopes other than 0.0 may produce a phase image that is easier to unwrap. For
such a pair, you would want to pick slope values that represent the average slope of the
scene.
X slope in meters per pixel: X slope in meters per pixel is measured in degrees as the
degree above the horizon assuming a flat earth spheroid. The X slope in meters per pixel
field is active when you choose Slopes as the Flattening Source. You can manually enter
a value, or you can use the IFSAR Interfere Tool to calculate the slope of an area of the
image.
Y slope in meters per line: Y slope in meters per line is measured in degrees as degree
above the horizon assuming a flat earth spheroid. The Y slope in meters per line field is
active when you choose Slopes as the Flattening source. You can manually enter a value,
or you can use the IFSAR Interfere Tool to calculate the slope of an area of the image.
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IFSAR
Local Slope Filter The Local Slope Filter option requires that you already have an
unwrapped phase image corresponding to the image.
The purpose of the Local Slope Filter is to apply the local slopes for each pixel during the
formation of the interferogram. The best source of these slopes is previously generated
unwrapped phase image.If you have an unwrapped phase image, it can improve the output
interferogram, especially in areas of extreme slope.
Output Interferogram: Output Interferogram displays the name of the output
interferogram created by the Interfere step. Clicking the icon opens the output
interferogram in an IMAGINE Viewer. The image is stored in the Work Images Directory you
specify in the IFSAR Options dialog.
Constrain
In the Constrain step, you can use a constraint image to mask a portion of the image.
☞ The Constrain step is not operational in this version of IMAGINE IFSAR DEM.
Unwrap
In the Unwrap step, you set parameters such as Correlation Cutoff and Correlation Threshold.
These values affect how IMAGINE IFSAR DEM processes the phase image. Areas that are
above the threshold are processed first.
For example, areas with minimal striping (in the phase image) are areas with little change.
Those areas are processed first. Areas with greater, more dense striping, indicating rapid
increase in elevation, are processed last.
Threshold The Threshold check box instructs IMAGINE IFSAR DEM to use the
Correlation Threshold value present in the Unwrap panel. If this box is not checked, Unwrap
starts at
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IFSAR
Pre-compute The Pre-compute check box controls when the unwrap parameters are
determined. If you have not executed the Process Steps, then IMAGINE IFSAR DEM
computes the unwrap parameters cutoff and threshold after the interferogram has been
generated in the Interfere step. This check box works in conjunction with the Generate
Unwrap Parameters icon, below.
Click this icon to generate the unwrap parameters from the current interferogram. This
interferogram has typically already been generated in the Interfere step.
However, if the interferogram has not been generated, then the Pre-compute check box
instructs IMAGINE IFSAR DEM to generate the unwrap parameters once the interferogram
has been processed (by clicking the Execute icon). Those parameters are then applied during
the phase unwrapping process.
Click this icon to start the IFSAR Interfere Tool. In the IFSAR Interfere Tool, you can
identify the starting X and Y position to begin the phase unwrapping.
When you use the IFSAR Interfere Tool in the Unwrap step, the slope calculation is disabled.
At this point in the DEM generation process, you want to find a flat area of the image to begin
the unwrapping. You use the IFSAR Interfere Tool to locate an appropriate point. When you
click OK, the Sample and Line values are transferred to the Unwrap panel of the main
IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog.
Unwrap start point In this section of the Unwrap panel, you can enter specific row and
column values where IMAGINE IFSAR DEM will begin unwrapping the input image. You can
enter the coordinates by hand, or you can use the IFSAR Interfere Tool to locate an
appropriate point and transfer the coordinates to the Unwrap panel of the main IMAGINE
IFSAR DEM dialog. It is recommended that you begin unwrapping in a flat area of the image.
Sample: Type the Sample with which to start the unwrapping. Sample corresponds to
the x-axis. This value is also updated by the IFSAR Interfere Tool.
Line: Type the Line with which to start the unwrapping. Line corresponds to the y-axis.
This value is also updated by the IFSAR Interfere Tool.
Correlation Cutoff This is the correlation cutoff value below which pixels will not be
unwrapped. If you open the Unwrapped File after processing, the areas that appear white are
those areas that were below the cutoff which were not unwrapped. Dark areas were
successfully unwrapped.
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IFSAR
Correlation Threshold This is the value above which correlation values will be
unwrapped first. This ensures that areas with the greatest coherence, which display as the
brightest in the coherence image), get unwrapped first.
Output Unwrapped File: Output Unwrapped File displays the name of the output
unwrapped file created during the Unwrap process. Click the icon to display the output
unwrapped phase image. This image is stored in the Work Images Directory you specify in
the IFSAR Options dialog.
Height
This is the final step of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM generation process. At this point, you specify
the name of the output DEM. You can also choose a different projection for the DEM in the Height
panel.
If you elected not to correct the flight paths of the reference and match images in
parallel in the Register step, you can in the Height step. Click the Correct Flight Paths icon
to correct the flight paths of the reference and match images in parallel prior to generating the
DEM. This tool uses the Baseline value reported in the IFSAR Collection Information dialog
or the IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog to determine how much to adjust the match image
once the reference image has been adjusted.
First, you choose from where you are going to collect reference points in the GCP Tool
Reference SetUp dialog. Then, the IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool opens, as well as
a GCP Tool, and three IMAGINE Viewers displaying the reference image at different
resolutions. You can collect ground control points in the reference image with which to correct
the flight path.
Click this icon to correct the flight path of the match image. The IFSAR Baseline
Adjustment dialog opens in which you can specify a Baseline distance between the sensor
that obtained the reference image and the sensor that obtained the match image.
Click this icon to reset the reference and match flight paths to their original state. This
information is retained in the images’ header files.
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IFSAR
Output DEM Image Specify the output DEM image filename. You can click the icon
to access a File Selector so that you can save the DEM in the directory of your choice.
Output Spacing: Click the up and down arrows, or manually type in a value to change
the spacing of the output DEM. This is the output DEM’s resolution where a pixel equals an
area on the ground.
meters The value of the output spacing is reported in meters.
Height Values Type: The type of height values being generated will either be absolute
or relative.
To obtain absolute values, you must use GCP points to correct the flight paths of the reference
and match image. If the area has enough well-distributed GCP points, then an absolute
height value for the image can be generated.
If you do not use GCPs, then the height value will be relative. Relative values are height
values that, when compared to each other, are accurate. There is, however, a constant bias
which differentiates them from absolute heights.
Output Map Projection: Displays the map projection of your reference image. This will
be the map projection of your output DEM image unless you change it by using the Set button.
Set ... Click this button to change the projection used for your output DEM. The IFSAR
Output Map Information dialog opens. From the IFSAR Output Map Information dialog, you
can choose to set a new projection for the DEM using the Projection Chooser.
Reset Click this button to reset the projection of the output DEM to that of the reference
image.
➲ To find a geoid/ellipsoid separation value, consult the NOAA/National Geodetic Survey web
site http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/GEOID/geoid_comp.html.
Map DEM Image: Displays the name of the final map DEM image created by IMAGINE
IFSAR DEM. Click the icon to open the map DEM in a Viewer. This image is stored in
the Work Images Directory you specify in the IFSAR Options dialog and is the final result
of all the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM steps.
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IFSAR Options
IFSAR Options
The IFSAR Options dialog opens when you click the icon on the main IMAGINE IFSAR
DEM panel.
This dialog allows you to change your Work Images Directory and select whether to keep or
remove the files generated after each Process Step of the digital elevation model (DEM)
generation process.
These options can be applied to the active IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project at any time during the
DEM generation process. However, files previously saved in one directory will not move to the
new directory. Only the newly created images are stored in the new directory.
Work Images Directory: This text field displays the default output directory where the
project’s intermediate image files are stored. You can change the output directory in this text
field (for just the image files associated with the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project that you are
currently working on) by typing a new path.
Delete Working Images in Progress When Delete Working Images in Progress is

activated, only the intermediate files created in the previous step are saved in your Work
Images Directory. When not activated, all intermediate image files from each step are saved
in your Work Images Directory.
Deleting the old files after processing saves significant space, but keeping the files allows you
to go back to a specific intermediate image and reprocess it without starting from the
beginning of the process.
Auto-save on ‘Next’ and ‘Prev’ Click this check box to automatically save your
IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project each time you click the Next or Prev button as you complete
the steps for DEM generation.
Apply Click to apply any changes to your IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project options and close
the IFSAR Options dialog.
Close Click to close the IFSAR Options dialog without applying any changes to your
project.
Help Click to open this On-Line Help document.
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IFSAR Collection Information
The IFSAR Collection Information dialog is accessed by clicking the icon located on the
main IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog. It is only accessible after executing the Register step, which
registers the Match image to the Reference image. Registering establishes the geometry
between the two sensors that obtained the images.
In the IFSAR Collection Information dialog, you can obtain information about the position of the
sensors as they captured the images you are working with. This information is relative to the
ground features as well as one sensor to the other. The information in the IFSAR Collection
Information dialog is not directly editable.
Geometric Information at Scene Center These parameters provide information

about the position of the sensor relative to the center of the imaged area.
Baseline
Reference
Theta
Reference Slant
Range
Match Slant Scene Center

Range
Match Theta
Reference Height
Match Height
Reference Slant Range: Reference Slant Range is measured in meters as the

distance between the sensor and the Scene Center.
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Reference Height: Reference Height is the vertical height above the imaged area.
It corresponds to the position of the satellite as it captured the Reference image. Height
is measured in meters.
Reference Theta: Reference Theta is measured in degrees as the angle between

the Reference Slant Range and the Reference Height.
Match Slant Range: Match Slant Range is measured in meters as the distance
between the sensor and the Scene Center.
Match Height: Match Height is the vertical height above the imaged area. It
corresponds to the position of the satellite as it captured the Match image. Height is
measured in meters.
Match Theta: Match Theta is measured in degrees as the angle between the Match
Slant Range and the Match Height.
Baseline: The Baseline value is the distance between the two sensors at the time
of image capture. You can adjust the Baseline by changing the Parallel Baseline and the
Perpendicular Baseline values in the IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog.
Parallel Baseline: The Parallel Baseline is the component of the baseline parallel to
the sensor slant range. You can adjust the Parallel Baseline value in the IFSAR Baseline
Adjustment dialog
Perpendicular Baseline: Perpendicular Baseline is the component of the baseline

perpendicular to the sensor slant range. You can adjust the Perpendicular Baseline value
in the IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog.
OK Click OK to close the IFSAR Collection Information dialog.
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IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool
This dialog opens when you click the Correct Flight Paths icon in the Register step or the
Height step of the main IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog. IMAGINE Viewers displaying your
reference image and a GCP Tool also open. This dialog allows you to make adjustments to the
ephemeris, which will correct the orbit of the radar sensor that obtained the radar image being
used for your IMAGINE IFSAR DEM project.
Only the orbit of the reference image is actually corrected. The orbit of the match image is
corrected in parallel using a baseline distance between the two. You can check the baseline
value in the IFSAR Collection Information dialog. You can adjust the baseline value in the
IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog.
Flight Path State: This section of the dialog allows you to see if the flight path has been
altered. If the flight path of the image has not been altered, the Flight Path State lists original.
If the flight path of the image has already been altered, the Flight Path State lists corrected.
Flight Path Correction Options: Select the manner in which you will correct the
sensor’s flight path. The default setting is that all options are selected.
Reset orbit before each correction Click this check box to always return to the original
flight path before running each orbit correction. If the check box is not enabled, the
correction starts from the current flight path.
Along track (azimuth) correction Click this check box to correct the flight path in the Y
direction of the sensor. Along track corresponds to the forward flight path of the sensor.
Cross track (range) correction Click this check box to correct the flight path in both X
and Z directions of the sensor. Cross track corresponds to the side-looking flight path of
the sensor. The Z value corresponds to elevation.
Constant Constant works with the Vertical offset and Elevation Units. It provides an
average measurement of the height of the area.
Elevation File Elevation File works with the File (*.img) section of the dialog. You choose
an existing DEM for height information.
Vertical offset: Vertical offset is the difference between ellipsoidal and geoidal heights
for that projection.
File: Choose a DEM file to supply the average height of the region from the File Selector.
Elevation Units: Elevation units default to meters, but you can also choose feet.
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Meters Use the dropdown list to select units of elevation data in meters.
Feet Use the dropdown list to select units of elevation data in feet.
Residuals in meters: The Residuals in meters section of the IFSAR Flight Path
Adjustment dialog gives information about the geometric model after you solve it. You can see
in this area where your error is greatest, in the along or cross track direction.
Information you can obtain in this section includes: final residuals (overall, along track, and
cross track errors), overall along track cross track RMS error, and along track and cross track
mean errors.
GCP Tools: These tools let you create ground control points (GCPs), calculate RMS
errors, solve models, and update Z values in the GCP Tool Cell Array.
☞ IMAGINE IFSAR DEM does not support GCP collection from vector layers, annotation layers,
or ASCII text files while performing reference or match orbit correction.
Click this icon to enable or disable the automatic calculation and update icons in the
IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment dialog.
Click this icon to solve the geometric model with control points.
Click this icon to automatically compute the transformation calculation to solve the
geometric model.
Click this icon to update the Z value for a selected GCP.
Click this icon to automatically update the Z values for all of the GCPs.
Click this icon to compute the RMS error for the check points.
Click this icon to use the selection cursor to select ground control points so that they
can be moved.
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Click this icon to create new GCPs. The cursor turns into a crosshair when placed
over your image in the IMAGINE Viewer. This tool must be locked to create multiple GCPs
one after another.
When this icon is displayed, the tool currently in use is locked.
When this icon is displayed, the tool currently in use is unlocked. This allows you to
use different GCP tools.
Click this icon to find a selected point in your match image. The image adjusts in
the Viewer to display the point.
Click this icon to find a selected point in your reference image. The image adjusts
in the Viewer to display the point.
Apply Click to apply the changes to the flight path of the reference image (and, indirectly,
the match image). If you click Apply, the Flight Path status for both images (located on the
Input step of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog) changes to corrected.
Reset Click to remove all edits and model computations from your reference image and
reset the image to the original parameters. The Flight Path State on the Input step of the main
IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog states original. The original flight path information is
maintained in the image’s header file.
Close Click to close the IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool. The Viewers and GCP Tool
dialog also close.
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IFSAR Pixel Register Tool
You access the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool by clicking the icon in the Register panel of the
main IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog.
The IFSAR Pixel Register Tool allows you to pick a single point in the reference and match
images. This common point will enable the match image to be registered to the reference image.
Once you have registered the two images, you can then create the interferogram necessary to
generate the DEM.
➲ It is recommended that you use the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool in conjunction with the IFSAR
Subpixel Register Tool to obtain the best possible DEM results.
Click this icon to select a registration point in the reference image. Its coordinates are
shown in the Registration Point section under Reference.
Click this icon once you have obtained a good registration between the reference and
match images. In this way, you can move the bounding box around in the reference image
and generate coherence and phase images for different portions of the overall image.
Click this icon to unlock the registration between the match and reference image. In this
way, you can collect a different registration point in the reference and match images, click the
Find Current Registration Point icon and determine whether or not you have a good
registration.
Click this icon to select a registration point in the match image. Its coordinates are
shown in the Registration Point section under Match.
Click this icon to align the match registration point with the reference registration point.
The point will have the same pixel coordinates. This icon remains visible until you lock the
registration with the icon, then the icon is displayed.
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This is the Find Current Registration Point icon. This icon works in conjunction with the
Search Region section. It finds the correct sample and line values for the registration point
in the match image. It looks within the search region, which is measured in pixels.
This is the Find Slopes icon. Once you have obtained a good registration between the
reference and match images, and have clicked the lock icon to maintain the registration,
you can use the Find Slopes icon to find the current slopes of the selected registration point.
Once you click OK in the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool, those slope values are transferred to the
Register panel of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog. This icon is only visible when the
registration has been locked.
Click this icon to open the IFSAR Complex Filter dialog. In it, you can control the Filter
Size and Filter Contract values. The IFSAR Complex Filter works in conjunction with the
Test Region to create the coherence and phase images.
Registration Point: This section of the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool gives details about
the point you pick in the reference and match images with which to register the match image
to the reference image.
Reference: The Sample and Line values for the registration point in the reference
image are in this section of the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool.
Sample: You specify the reference image point Sample in this area. Sample
corresponds to the X axis. You can type in the value directly, or it is updated for you
when you place a point in the Viewer.
Line: You specify the reference image point Line in this area. Line corresponds to the
Y axis. You can type in a value directly, or it is updated for you when you place a point
in the Viewer.
Match: The Sample and Line values for the registration point in the match image are
in this section of the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool.
Sample: You specify the match image point Sample in this area. Sample corresponds
to the X axis. You can type in the value directly, or it is updated for you when you place
a point in the Viewer.
Line: You specify the match image point Line in this area. Line corresponds to the Y
axis. You can type in the value directly, or it is updated for you when you place a point
in the Viewer.
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Search Region: The Search Region limits the search in the X and Y direction. A smaller
search region speeds the process, but a larger search region provides more accurate results.
The maximum search region is 5 pixels, and the minimum search region is 2 pixels.
The Search Region area is only active if the registration has not yet been locked. If the
registration has been locked, Search Region is grayed out.
For example, if you have a Search X and Search Y value of 2, then IMAGINE IFSAR DEM
searches two pixels in each direction to attempt to get the match image to register with the
reference image. Therefore, the more precise you can be when you select a registration point
in the reference and match images, the better your results will be.
Search X: Specify the number of pixels in the sample direction. You can choose a Search
X value of 2, 3, 4 or 5.
Search Y: Specify the number of pixels in the line direction. You can choose a Search Y
value of 2, 3, 4, or 5.
Test Region: The Test Region is measured in pixels and is the size of the coherence and
phase images created when you click Interfere. Test Region makes those images square
regardless of the shape of your reference and match images. Test Region works in
conjunction with the parameters you set in the IFSAR Complex Filter.
Size: Use the arrows or manually type in a value for the size of the test region. The
output coherence and phase images will be squares. The default size is 150 by 150 pixels.
Results: The Results section of the IFSAR Pixel Register tool tells you how accurate the
registration is between the reference and match images.
X Slope: The X Slope number field shows the local slope in the X direction and is
measured in degrees per sample.
Y Slope: The Y Slope number field shows the local slope in the Y direction and is
measured in degrees per line.
Correlation: Correlation is a measure of how well the reference and match images
agree. The closer the correlation value is to 1, the better the result.
Good: The Good text field shows one of two values: Yes or No. If Good shows Yes,
then there is an accurate registration between the reference and match images. If Good
shows No, then there is not an accurate registration between the reference and match
images, and you may have to alter the Sample and Line values in the match image to
obtain a good correlation.
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X offset: This is a measure of the number of pixels of shift in the match image needed
to find the best fit to the reference image. You may need to adjust the X offset and run
Interfere a few times to get a good coherence image.
Y offset: This is a measure of the number of pixels of shift in the match image needed
to find the best fit to the reference image. You may need to adjust the Y offset and run
Interfere a few times to get a good coherence image.
OK Click to accept the current parameters and exit the IFSAR Pixel Register tool. The
parameters, such as offset, are transferred to the Register panel of the IMAGINE IFSAR
DEM main dialog.
Interfere Once you have the Sample and Line values you want, you click the Interfere
button to generate test phase and coherence images. The coherence image is displayed on
the left; the phase image is displayed on the right. In general, the brighter the coherence
image, the more accurate the phase image.
Close Click this button to close the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool.
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IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool
You access the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool by clicking the icon in the Register panel of
the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog.
You use the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool to register two images on a subpixel basis. This is
particularly useful for images that are not perfect squares. While this is method is more precise
than the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool, it is more computationally expensive. To obtain the best
possible results from the Register step of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM process, you should use
both the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool and the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool to calculate the offset
values. The IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool uses the values calculated from the IFSAR Pixel
Register Tool and further refines the calculations.
Click Reference Point icon to select a reference registration point from the Viewer.
IMAGINE IFSAR DEM uses this point to calculate Shift, Search, Constant and Stretch values.
Click this icon once you have placed a reference point in the Viewer to find the local
Range Slope and the Azimuth Slope of that particular point.
Click this icon to find the current subpixel registration point. You click this icon to
calculate Azimuth Shift, Range 1 Shift and Range 2 Shift after you have chosen a point in the
image.
Click this icon to transfer the results of the Range 1 Shift and the Range 2 shift to the
results portion of the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool. The Constant and Stretch values are
calculated twice.
Click this icon to clear the current subpixel register parameters. Different slope values
ultimately produce different DEMs. When you click the clear icon, the parameters in the
IFSAR Subpixel Register tool are reset to their original values. You can then go through the
process of choosing two pixels in the Range direction with which to calculate Constant and
Stretch values.
Click this icon to open the IFSAR Complex Filter dialog. In it, you can control the Filter
Size and Filter Step values. These values affect the pixels consulted to create the output
coherence and phase images.
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Subpixel Parameters: The subpixel parameters section of the IFSAR Subpixel

Registration Tool record the shift and search values in the Y and X direction.
Range 1 When this radio button is selected, you are choosing the location of the first
point in the range, or X, direction. The Sample and Line values update accordingly.
Range 2 When this radio button is selected, you are choosing the location of the second
point in the range, or X, direction. The Sample and Line values update accordingly.Specify
the current range location
Sample: This field shows the Sample value of the point. Sample corresponds to the X-
axis. This field is updated automatically when you use the Reference Point icon, or you
can manually enter the coordinate.
Line: This field shows the Line value of the point. Line corresponds to the Y-axis. This
field is updated automatically when you use the Reference Point icon, or you can manually
enter the coordinate.
Y Offset: The Y Offset (in the azimuth direction) is measured in tenths of a pixel. It is the
amount of warping necessary to get the match image to agree with the reference image.
Y Search: The Y Search value determines the search extent (in the azimuth direction)
of the subpixel search. The range of pixels to search is from 1 to 10.
X Offset: The X Offset (in the range direction) is measured in tenths of a pixel. It is the
amount of warping necessary to get the match image to agree with the reference image.
X Search: The X Search value determines the search extent (in the range direction) of
the subpixel search. The range of pixels to search is from 1 to 10.
Size: In this field, you can specify the size of the coherence and phase images. By default,
the Size is set to 150. This means that the coherence and phase images generated when you
click the Test or Interfere buttons measure 150 by 150 pixels.You can use the arrows to
increase or decrease this number, or type in a number.
X Slope: The Range Slope number field shows the number of samples of the register
search region and is measured in degrees. It is calculated when you click the icon
Y Slope: The Azimuth Slope number field shows the number of samples of the register
search region and is measured in degrees. It is calculated when you click the icon.
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Correlation: Correlation is a measure of how well the reference and match images agree.
The closer the Correlation value is to 1, the better the match. A high correlation value is
reflected in a bright coherence image (generated when you click the Interfere button). A low
correlation results in a dark coherence image.
Good: Like the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool, a Good text field that says Yes means the
registration is accurate. A Good text field that says No means that you should choose a
different reference point in the Viewer and find the local Range and Azimuth Slopes again.
Y Constant: The Y Constant value determines how the match image will have to be
warped in the azimuth, or Y, direction in order to make it agree with the reference image. The
Y Constant value is applicable to the entire image, whereas the Y Offset value is only
applicable to a particular point (i.e., Range 1 or Range 2).
Y Stretch: Y Stretch also determines how the match image will have to be altered to
match the reference image. In order to get the match image to warp to the reference image,
the Y Stretch value is applicable to the entire image.
X Constant: The X Constant value determines how the match image will have to be
warped in the range, or X, direction in order to make it agree with the reference image. The
X Constant value is applicable to the entire image, whereas the X Offset value is only
applicable to a particular point (i.e., Range 1 or Range 2).
X Stretch: X Stretch also determines how the match image will have to be altered to
match the reference image. In order to get the match image to warp to the reference image,
the X Stretch value is applicable to the entire image.
OK Click OK to transfer the values in the Results section of the IFSAR Subpixel Register
Tool to the Register panel of the main IMAGINE IFSAR DEM dialog. The values updated are
X Offset, Y Offset and X Stretch.
Test Click test to see the coherence and phase images created by the Shift and Search
values. Test, unlike Interfere, does not use the values reported in the Results section of the
IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool. You can use Test to test the registration in an area of the
image.
Interfere Click Interfere to generate phase and coherence images. Interfere uses the
values reported in the Results section of the IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool dialog. Those
values are applied to the entire image. An interferogram consists of a coherence image and
a phase image.
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A coherence image is a visual measure of how well the reference and match images agree.
If there is a good coherence between the two, the coherence image will appear to be bright;
if there is a poor coherence, the coherence image will appear to be dark.
A phase image is characterized by stripes of elevation data ranging from black to white, where
white is a maximum threshold of elevation. At the maximum, the range starts again at 0 and
again calculates elevation to the threshold. This is termed wrapping. Phase images represent
the amount of slope in an area. Typically, the farther spaced the stripes in a coherence
images, the less slope and elevation present in that area.
Close Click to exit the IFSAR Subpixel Registration tool.
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IFSAR Baseline Adjustment

In the IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog, you can change the baseline distance between the two
sensors. The baseline adjustment actually moves the match image’s sensor, not the reference’s.
This value is initially reported in the IFSAR Collection Information dialog. By changing the
baseline value and re-generating the DEM, you can obtain different visual results.
The IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog opens along-side an IMAGINE VIewer that shows the
unwrapped phase image. On it are displayed GCPs used to correct the flight path.
Current Baseline: (values in meters) In this section of the IFSAR Baseline

Adjustment dialog, you can see the current baseline values associated with the images.
These values are updated when you click the Compute Perpendicular Baseline button.
Baseline The current baseline measurement is displayed in this field in meters. Baseline
is the distance between the two sensors at the time of image capture. You cannot alter this
field directly. Rather, you make changes to the Parallel Baseline and the Perpendicular
Baseline values to affect the baseline distance between the two sensors.
Parallel Baseline The current parallel baseline measurement is displayed in this field in
meters.
Perpendicular Baseline The current perpendicular baseline measurement is displayed

in this field in meters.
Parallel Baseline: In this section of the dialog, you can specify a new Parallel Baseline
value. The dialog opens with the calculated Baseline value derived during the Register step
of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM process. You can type a new value in, or use the arrows to
change the Parallel Baseline value incrementally. It works in conjunction with the
Perpendicular Baseline to affect the Baseline distance between the sensors.
Typically, this value is provided to you when you obtain data from distributors.
Perpendicular Baseline: In this section of the dialog, you can specify a new
Perpendicular Baseline value. The dialog opens with the calculated Baseline value derived
during the Register step of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM process. You can type a new value in,
or use the arrows to change the Parallel Baseline value incrementally. It works in conjunction
with the Perpendicular Baseline to affect the Baseline distance between the sensors.
Typically, this value is provided to you when you obtain data from distributors.
Range GCP 1 ID In this section of the IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog, you can
choose the best GCP in the range direction with which to calculate the baseline values. You
may want to consult the GCP Analysis for Height Calculation report in the Session Log to
select the best GCP.
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Range GCP 2 ID In this section of the IFSAR Baseline Adjustment dialog, you select the
second best GCP in the range direction. This enables more precise computation of the
baseline values. You may want to check the GCP Analysis for Height calculation report in the
Session Log to find the second best GCP.
Compute Perpendicular Baseline Click this button to compute the baseline values using the
selected GCPs.
Apply Click Apply to accept the new baseline value. Then, you can correct the match
image flight path based on the current baseline. You can also generate a new DEM, in the
Height step, with the revised baseline.
Close close the baseline correction
Help Click to open this On-Line Help file.
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IFSAR Subset Tool
IFSAR Subset Tool
The IFSAR Subset Tool opens when you click the icon located on the Subset panel of the
IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog.
This dialog allows you to create a digital elevation model (DEM) from a subsetted portion of the
reference and match images. You choose the area for subset only in the reference image; the
match image’s coordinates update accordingly.
Click this icon to graphically create the subset in the reference image. The cursor
changes to a crosshair when positioned over the IMAGINE Viewer displaying the reference
image.
Clicking in the Viewer will create a box that can be adjusted by dragging the corners and
sides. Adjust the box to fit the area you want to subset. The coordinates of the area are
displayed in the UL X, UL Y, LR X and LR Y number fields of the IFSAR Subset Tool. As you
change the subset area in the reference image, the area defined in the match image changes
accordingly. The match area is represented by a green box.
Click this icon to compute the maximum overlap region of both the reference and the
match image. This is the default setting, which includes the area that the reference and the
match image have in common.
Reference: This section shows the coordinates of the subset area. These values are
updated when you either type coordinates of an area, or create the area graphically using the
icon. A bounding box representing the current area displays in the Viewer holding the
reference image. In addition, if GCPs were used to correct the flight path, they display in the
reference Viewer in yellow. For optimal results and absolute height information, you should
include at least one of the GCPs in the area you want to subset.
UL X: Type the upper left X coordinate for the subset of the reference image. This
number field will also display the upper left X coordinate created graphically with the
reference image box.
UL Y: Type the upper left Y coordinate for the subset of the reference image. This
number field will also display the upper left Y coordinate created graphically with the
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IFSAR Subset Tool
LR X: Type the lower right X coordinate for the subset of the reference image. This
number field will also display the lower right X coordinate created graphically with the
LR Y: Type the lower Y coordinate for the subset of the reference image. This number
field will also display the lower right Y coordinate created graphically with the reference
image box.
Match: This section changes depending on the coordinates in the Reference section of the
IFSAR Subset Tool. You cannot change the match image coordinates directly. They are
determined in accordance with the X and Y offset values obtained with the IFSAR Pixel
Register Tool and recorded in the Register step, as well as the subset coordinates of the
reference image.
UL X: This field shows the upper left X coordinate of the subset of the match image.
UL Y: This field shows the upper left Y coordinate of the subset of the match image.
LR X: This field shows the lower right X coordinate of the subset of the match image.
LR Y: This field shows the lower right Y coordinate of the subset of the match image.
GCPs used for flight path correction This icon is a reminder that GCPs you
used for flight correction display in the reference Viewer in yellow. A subset must contain at
least one GCP in order to produce a DEM with absolute height values, which are relative to
the actual surface of the earth. If you did not use GCPs to correct the flight path, this icon
does not display, and you can collect a subset from any area you like to produce a DEM with
relative height values, which are relative only to each other.
Apply Click to accept the reference and match images’ subset coordinates displayed in the
IFSAR Subset Tool. The coordinates are transferred to the Subset panel of the IMAGINE
IFSAR DEM main dialog. Then, click the Close button to close the Subset Tool.
Close Click to close the IFSAR Subset Tool dialog without applying the subset coordinates.
The two IMAGINE Viewers displaying the reference and match images also close. Original
coordinates are reported in the Subset panel.
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IFSAR Interfere Tool

To access the IFSAR Interfere Tool from the Interfere step of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main
dialog, click this icon. The IFSAR Interfere Tool uses the reference image to derive X and
Y Slope. X and Y Slope are then used to generate an interferogram of the complete radar scene
made up of the overlap region of the reference and match images.
You also can access the IFSAR Interfere Tool from the Unwrap panel of the main IMAGINE
IFSAR DEM dialog. In that case, the slope capability is disabled. You use the tool to find a good
point from which to start the unwrapping of the interferogram. Typically, a good point is one in a
relatively flat portion of the image. Once you click OK in the IFSAR Interfere Tool, the coordinates
are transferred to the Unwrap panel.
Click this icon to select a reference point from the Viewer. It is best to click a point that
is representative of most of the image. For example, do not click a mountain peak when most
of the image is a valley. This way, the slope derived from the point is more representative of
the majority of the image. The location of the point is displayed in the Sample and Line
number fields.
Click this icon to find the local X and Y slopes once you have chosen a reference point.
The slope values are displayed in the X Slope and Y Slope number fields.
Click this icon to start the IFSAR Complex Filter dialog. The complex filter determines
the size of the coherence and phase images generated by the interfere process. The IFSAR
Complex Filter works in conjunction with the Test Region Size.
Registration Point: This section of the IFSAR Interfere Tool gives information about the
point you select in the reference image. This is the point from which the X and Y Slope values
are calculated.
Sample: The Sample number field shows the reference image point sample coordinate.
Sample corresponds to the X axis.
Line: The Line number field shows the reference image point line coordinate. Line
corresponds to the Y axis.
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X Slope: The X Slope number field shows the local slope in the X direction and is
measured in degrees per sample. It is calculated when you click the icon. This
number field gets its initial values from the X Slope calculated in the IFSAR Pixel Register
Tool. The values are updated and transferred to the Interfere panel of the IMAGINE
IFSAR DEM main dialog when you click OK.
Y Slope: The Y Slope number field shows the local slope in the Y direction and is
measured in degrees per line. It is calculated when you click the icon. This number
field gets its initial values from the Y Slope calculated in the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool.
The values are updated and transferred to the Interfere panel of the IMAGINE IFSAR
DEM main dialog when you click OK.
Correlation: Correlation is a measure of how well the reference and match images
agree. The closer the Correlation value is to 1, the better the match. A high correlation
value is reflected in the coherence image generated when you click the Interfere button.
A high correlation results in a bright coherence image; a low correlation results in a dark
coherence image.
Good: Like the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool, a Good text field that says Yes means the
registration is accurate. A Good text field that says No means that you should choose a
different reference point in the Viewer and find the local X and Y Slopes again.
Test Region: Test Region controls the size of the coherence and phase images
generated by the IFSAR Interfere Tool when you click the Interfere button. Regardless of the
shape (e.g., rectangle) of the reference image, the coherence and phase images will be
generated as squares. Test Region works in conjunction with parameters you set in the
IFSAR Complex Filter.
Size: You specify the size of the test region in the Size number field. The default value
is 150. This means that the coherence and phase images generated when you click the
Interfere button measure 150 by 150 pixels.
GCPs used for flight path correction The IFSAR Interfere Tool displays the
GCPs you may have used during flight path correction in the Viewer containing the reference
image. By default, the GCPs display in the Viewer in yellow.
OK Click OK to accept the current parameters and exit IFSAR Interfere Tool. The X and Y
Slope values are transferred to the Interfere panel of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog.
Interfere Click Interfere to generate test phase and coherence images.
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A coherence image is a visual measure of how well the reference and match images agree.
If there is a good coherence between the two, the coherence image will appear to be bright;
if there is a poor coherence, the coherence image will appear to be dark.
A phase image is characterized by stripes of elevation data ranging from white to black.
Phase images represent the amount of slope in an area. Typically, the farther spaced the
stripes in a coherence images, the less slope and elevation present in that area.
Close Click Close to exit IFSAR Interfere Tool.
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IFSAR Complex Filter
To access the IFSAR Complex Filter, click the icon. You can access the IFSAR Complex
Filter from the IFSAR Interfere Tool, the IFSAR Pixel Register Tool, the IFSAR Sub-pixel
Register Tool or the Interfere step of the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog.
The IFSAR Complex Filter controls the size of the coherence and phase images generated by
IMAGINE IFSAR DEM. With the IFSAR Complex Filter, those output images are square
regardless of the appearance of the reference and match images.
Filter Size X: Filter Size X refers to the size of the complex filter in the sample, or X,
direction. You can choose an odd number from 3 to 21. The filter size determines the number
of pixels used to create the test region.
For example, if you choose a filter size of 3, then every third pixel is used to create the test
region. In order to get a test region of 100 pixels in the X direction, you need an image at least
300 pixels in the X (range) direction.
Filter Size Y: Filter Size Y refers to the size of the complex filter in the line, or Y, direction.
You can choose an odd number from 3 to 21. The filter size determines the number of pixels
used to create the test region.
For example, if you choose a filter size of 3, then every third pixel is used to create the test
region. In order to get a test region of 100 pixels in the Y direction, you need an image at least
300 pixels in the Y (sample) direction.
Filter Step X: Filter Step X refers to the step factor of the complex filter in the sample, or
X, direction. You can choose from 1 to 10. The filter controls how the coherence and phase
images are generated.
For example, if you choose a step size of 2, then every other pixel is used to create the
Filter Step Y: Filter Step Y refers to the step factor of the complex filter in the line, or Y,
direction. You can choose from 1 to 10. The filter controls how the coherence and phase
images are generated.
For example, if you choose a step size of 2, then every other pixel is used to create the
OK Click OK to accept the current complex filter parameters and close the IFSAR Complex
Filter dialog.
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Default Click to return to the default filter parameters. The default values are Filter Size X
of 5, Filter Size Y of 11, Filter Step X of 2, and Filter Step Y of 10.
Cancel Click Cancel to close the IFSAR Complex Filter dialog.
Help Click to open this On-Line Help dialog.
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IFSAR Output Map Information
IFSAR Output Map Information

The IFSAR Output Map Information dialog is opened when you click the Set... button in the
Height panel in the IMAGINE IFSAR DEM main dialog. This dialog allows you to change the
projection of the output DEM created by IMAGINE IFSAR DEM.
Current Output Map Projection: This section displays information about the map
projection of your output image.
Projection: Displays the map projection for your output DEM.
Zone Number: Displays the zone number for your output DEM.
Spheroid: Displays the spheroid for your output DEM.
Datum: Displays the datum information for your output DEM.
Elevation relative to: This section allows you to specify if the projection is relative to
either Ellipsoid or Geoid. If the elevation is relative to Ellipsoid, it assumes a smooth earth
surface. If the elevation is set to Geoid, you can type in an offset value that approximates
the average actual elevation of the area.
Ellipsoid to Geoid Offset: This area holds the average elevation of the area when the
Elevation relative to field is set to Geoid.
➲ See the On-line Help about Spheroids and Datums for a complete list of the spheroids and
datums supported in ERDAS IMAGINE, and a geographical list to help you determine the
correct datum for your area.
➲ To find a geoid/ellipsoid separation value, consult the NOAA/National Geodetic Survey web
site http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/GEOID/geoid_comp.html.
Map Units: Click this popup list to select the map units to use for your output image. Select
Meters, Feet, Inches, Centimeters, Points or Other.
Add/Change Map Projection... Click this button to select a different projection for your
output image. The Projection Chooser dialog opens.
OK Click to apply the changes to your output image and close the IFSAR Output Map
Information dialog.
Cancel Click to close the IFSAR Output Map Information dialog without making any
changes to the projection of your output image.
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GCP Tool Reference Setup (IFSAR)
GCP Tool Reference Setup (IFSAR)

This dialog allows you to specify the source from which to collect reference points. This dialog
opens when you click the Correct Flight Paths icon on the Register panel of the IFSAR
dialog.
Collect Reference Points From: Select one of the following sources from which to
collect reference points.
Existing Viewer Click to collect reference points from the existing Viewer. The reference
map projection is initially set to the map projection of the Viewer.
Image Layer (New Viewer) Click to collect reference points from an image layer in a
new Viewer.
Vector Layer (New Viewer) Click to collect reference points from a vector layer in a new
Viewer.
GCP File (.gcc) Click to collect reference points from a GCP file. GCPs can be saved
to and loaded from a .gcc file. This file contains the map and projection information
associated with the GCP coordinates. When you select this option and click OK, a file
selector opens in which you specify the existing .gcc file.
➲ For more information, see Import Generic ASCII Data.

Digitizing Tablet (Current Configuration) Click to collect reference points from a
digitizing tablet in its current configuration.
Digitizing Tablet (New Configuration) Click to collect reference points from a digitizing
tablet in a new configuration.
➲ For more information, see the Digitizer Setup.

Keyboard Only Click to enter reference points from the keyboard. It only permits
reference GCPs to be entered with the keyboard. Therefore, the user is required to specify
map information.
OK Click to accept your selection and close this dialog. The GCP Tool is displayed.
Cancel Click to cancel your selection and close this dialog.
Help Click to view the On-Line Help for this dialog.
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Reference Map Information (IFSAR)
Reference Map Information (IFSAR)

This dialog displays the current map projection information for the image in the Viewer. It also
allows you to specify reference points for output map projections. To open this dialog, make your
selection in the GCP Tool Reference SetUp dialog, and click OK.
Current Reference Map Projection: Displays the current projection status of the
image in the Viewer.
Projection: Shows the type of projection of the image in the Viewer.
Zone Number: If applicable, shows the zone number of the image displayed in the
Viewer.
Spheroid: Shows the type of spheroid model of the displayed image.
Datum: Shows the type of datum of the displayed image.
Elevation relative to: Shows the reference against which the projection measures
elevation.
Ellipsoid to Geoid Offset: Enter the vertical offset between the displayed ellipsoid and
the geoid you wish to use.
Add/Change Map Projection... Click this button to select a different projection for your
output image. The Projection Chooser dialog opens.
OK Click to accept your selection and close this dialog.
Cancel Click to cancel your selection and close this dialog.
Help Click to view this On-Line Help document.
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GCP Tool (IFSAR)
GCP Tool (IFSAR)

This dialog allows you to collect ground control points (GCPs) for the source image in the Viewer.
Corresponding reference points are used to compute transformations in order to resample or
calibrate the image.
To open this dialog, click OK in the GCP Tool Reference SetUp dialog once you select your
reference for GCP points.
File
Load Reference... Click to load an existing reference .gcc file into the GCP Tool. The
Reference .gcc File Selector dialog opens.
Save Reference Click to save the loaded reference GCPs to a .gcc file.
Save Reference As... Click to save the loaded reference GCPs to a new file. The Save
Reference GCPs File Selector dialog opens.
Load Input... Click to load an existing input .gcc file into the GCP Tool. The Input .gcc
File Selector dialog opens. Loading input GCPs appends the GCPs from the file to the
current input list in the GCP Tool. If the map projections are different, the user is prompted
to reproject the points.
Save Input Click to save the loaded GCPs to a file. By default the GCPs are saved as a
node in the image file in the viewer.
Save Input As... Click to save the loaded input GCPs to new file. The Save Input .gcc
File Selector dialog opens. This allows the GCPs to be saved to a separate .gcc file rather
than into the image file. This may be useful if these GCPs have an application other than
to the input image.
View
View Only Selected GCPs Click to view only the selected GCPs, highlighted in yellow
in the GCP Tool CellArray in the viewer.
Show Selected GCP in Table Click to show selected GCP in the CellArray. The graphic
GCP icons in the viewer may be selected by clicking on them. Click this menu option to
highlight these GCPs in the GCP Tool CellArray.
i To select a GCP, click in the Point # column of the CellArray.
Arrange Frames on Screen Click to set size and position of GCP frames and Viewers
on the screen.
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GCP Tool (IFSAR)
Edit
Set Point Type Click to select the type of points to use. GCPs may be designated as
control points or check points. Control points are used to calculate the geometric
transformation model. Check points are not used in the calculation, but used to
independently evaluate the error in the transformation.
Control Click radio button to set point type to Control.
Check Click radio button to set point type to Check
➲ For both of these, the point type is set for the current selection in the GCP Tool CellArray.
Reference Map Projection... Click to change the reference map projection and units.
The Reference Map Information dialog opens.
i The GCP Tool has been updated to use a pseudo map coordinate system rather than a file
coordinate system of the image when the image is un-georeferenced.
The file coordinates for a pixel value in an image are in the Column and Row indices used to
locate that value in the raster array of the image. An un-georeferenced image is normally dis-
played so that the upper left corner of the image represents file coordinate (0,0). The positive
Column (X) direction is to the right, and the positive Row (Y) direction is downwards. When
using the GCP Tool in early versions of ERDAS IMAGINE (such as V8.2), the coordinates for
an un-georeferenced image were reported using the file coordinate system.
In ERDAS IMAGINE V8.3 and above, the file coordinate system definition is unchanged (the
Inquire Cursor in File coordinate mode reports coordinates with the positive Y direction being
downwards from a 0,0 origin at the top left corner of the image), but the GCP Tool now refer-
ences an image using the pseudo map coordinate system if it is un-georeferenced (or its real
map coordinate system if it is georeferenced). In this system, the origin (0,0) is still at the top
left of the image, but the positive Y direction is upwards.
This change has been made to standardize the coordinate systems used by ERDAS IMAG-
INE and to provide added functionality (such as being able to specify relative placements for
un-georeferenced images by changing the pseudo origin). Consequently, Y coordinates for
un-georeferenced images are now negative, since the image rows are, by definition, below
the origin of the coordinate system.
The use of the pseudo map system by the GCP Tool may cause some problems if you have
sets of coordinates referenced in the old manner. For instance, if you have Ground Control
Points measured in ERDAS IMAGINE V8.2 as file coordinates, they will no longer be appro-
priate for use in the ERDAS IMAGINE V8.3 (and above) GCP Tool. This can easily be solved
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GCP Tool (IFSAR)
using the Formula capability of the CellArray. Import the coordinates into a CellArray (for
instance, the GCP Tool or Coordinate Calculator) and highlight the column representing the
Y file coordinates. Right-click the Column header to get the Column Options menu. Select
Formula. Specify the formula as: <Y_COL> * (-1). The coordinates should now be pseudo
map coordinates that may be used in ERDAS IMAGINE V8.3 and above.
Similarly, if you have another software package that expects the Y file coordinates to increase
positively downwards, use the CellArray Formula option to convert ERDAS IMAGINE V8.3
(and above) pseudo map coordinates to the correct format before exporting them. To do this,
use the same formula as above (i.e., <Y_COL> * (-1).
Help
Help for GCP Tool ... Click to view this On-line Help document.
( CellArray )
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StereoSAR Project Selector
StereoSAR Project Selector

This dialog opens when you click the StereoSAR button on the Radar menu dialog. In it, you
can open an existing IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project or create a new one.
Select a New or Existing StereoSAR Project In this section of the StereoSAR

Project Selector dialog, you choose whether you are going to be working on a new or existing
IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project.
New StereoSAR Project Click this button to start a new IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM
project. An Open New StereoSAR Project dialog opens in which you can type a name for
the new project. IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM projects have the .ssp extension. Then, the
IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog opens to the first step of DEM generation, Input.
Existing StereoSAR Project Click this button to open a previously created IMAGINE
StereoSAR DEM project. The IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog opens to the step
yet to be executed in that project.
OK Click to open either a new or existing IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project.

If you choose to create a new IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project, the Open New StereoSAR
Project dialog opens in which you can type a name for the project.
If you choose to open an existing IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project, the Open StereoSAR
Project dialog opens, from which you can select the project.
Close Click to end the project selection process. The StereoSAR Project Selector dialog
closes without opening the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog.
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StereoSAR
StereoSAR
This is the main dialog of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM module. This dialog opens when
you click the Radar icon on the ERDAS IMAGINE icon panel, click the StereoSAR... button,
and then choose a new or existing IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project from the StereoSAR
Project Selector dialog.
The Process Steps of DEM generation are listed along the left side of the IMAGINE
StereoSAR DEM main dialog. As you work on a step, it is indicated with a red arrow. After you
complete and execute a step with the icon, it is indicated with a blue check mark.
You do not have to execute all of the process steps. For example, if you prefer not to
Despeckle the images, you can proceed to Degrade.
Process Steps
Input This is the first step of the DEM generation process. You choose the reference and
match images here.
Subset You can use the Subset step to specify a portion of overlap between two images
for DEM generation.
Despeckle You can use the Despeckle step to remove radar speckle noise by applying
filters to the input images.
Degrade You can use the first Degrade step to change the resolution of the output images.
You can also rescale the images to unsigned 8-bit.
Register You use Register to make the match image agree with the reference image on a
pixel-by-pixel basis.
Constrain You use Constrain to limit an area defined with a complex polygon (instead of a
rectangle) to using a specific correlator range.
Match You can use Match to calculate the shift, or parallax, for every pixel in the match
image. This process uses a correlator.
Degrade You use the second Degrade step to further increase or decrease the output
images’ resolutions. At this point, you are working with parallax images, which already have
the shift information necessary to create the DEM.
Height You use the Height step to designate the name, area and projection of the output
DEM. Using the parallax information, IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM calculates the height of
areas in the image.
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StereoSAR
Click to change directories for your output files and correlators at any time during the
DEM generation process. The StereoSAR Options dialog opens.
Click to calculate the height and shift of a stereo pair in the reference and match image.
The StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool dialog opens.
Click to process all previously entered steps for the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project.
You can process after each step, or only twice during the DEM generation process. The time
to run depends upon the number of steps being processed.
Prev Click to go back to the previous step of the DEM generation process. The center of
the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM dialog changes.
Next Click to save the information for the completed step and move to the next step of the
DEM generation process. The center of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM dialog changes.
Save Click to save the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project. The File Selector dialog opens.
Save As Click to save the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project with a different name. The
File Selector dialog opens. Save As is useful if you want to try processing the same reference
and match images in different ways.
Close Click to dismiss the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM dialog.
Input
The Input step begins the DEM generation process. You can select from a File Selector or type
the name of the reference and match images to be used for creating a DEM. From this step, you
can also correct the flight path of both the reference and the match image. New IMAGINE
StereoSAR DEM projects, which have the .ssp extension, always begin with this step.
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A reference image must be present in the Reference Image (*.img) text box before
this icon is enabled. Select this icon to correct the flight path of the reference image. First, you
choose where you are going to collect reference points in the GCP Tool Reference SetUp
dialog. Then, the StereoSAR Flight Path Adjustment dialog opens, as well as a GCP Tool,
and three IMAGINE Viewers displaying the reference image at different resolutions.
Reference Image (*.img) Enter the name of the reference image to use when creating
your DEM. Click the icon to open the File Selector dialog. The generated DEM will be
in the same coordinate system as the reference image, unless you specify otherwise in the
Height step.
Date: Displays the date the selected reference image was acquired.
Start Time: Displays the time at which the reference image acquisition began.
End Time: Displays the time at which the reference image acquisition ended.
Duration: Displays the amount of time to acquire the reference image.
Lines: Displays the number of lines of data in the image. This information can also be
found as height in the ImageInfo dialog.
Samples: Displays the number of columns of data in the image. This information can also
be found as width in the ImageInfo dialog.
Flight Path: Displays whether or not the original orbit of the reference image has been
corrected. If the flight path is in its original state, it shows ‘original;’ if the flight path has been
corrected, it shows ‘corrected.’
A match image must be entered in the Match Image (*.img) text box before this icon
is enabled. Select this icon to correct the flight path of the match image. First, you choose
where you are going to collect reference points in the GCP Tool Reference SetUp dialog.
Then, the StereoSAR Flight Path Adjustment dialog opens, as well as a GCP Tool, and
three IMAGINE Viewers displaying the match image at different resolutions.
Match Image (*.img) Enter the name of the match image to use when creating your
DEM. Click the icon to open the File Selector dialog.
Date: Displays the date the match image was acquired.
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Start Time: Displays the time at which the match image acquisition began.
End Time: Displays the time at which the match image acquisition ended.
Duration: Displays the amount of time to acquire the match image.
Lines: Displays the number of lines of data in the image. This information can also be
found as height in the ImageInfo dialog.
Samples: Displays the number of columns of data in the image. This information can also
be found as width in the ImageInfo dialog.
Flight Path: Displays whether or not the original orbit of the match image has been
corrected. If the flight path is in its original state, it shows ‘original;’ if the flight path has been
corrected, it shows ‘corrected.’
Subset
This is the second step in the DEM generation process. It allows you to create a subset of your
two images by entering the coordinates you plan to use, or graphically by using the StereoSAR
Subset Tool. With Subset, you define the regions of overlap needed to create the DEM.
Click the Subset check box to enter subset coordinates for the images. By default, this check
box is not activated and the subset options are not enabled.
You can proceed to the next step of processing by clicking Next to accept the default
coordinates in the upper left X (UL X), upper left Y (UL Y), lower right X (LR X) and lower right
Y (LR Y) number fields.
Select this icon to dynamically set the subset coordinates for your image. The
StereoSAR Subset Tool dialog opens, as well as an IMAGINE Viewer displaying the
reference image and an IMAGINE Viewer displaying the match image.
Reference: By default, the coordinates represent the entire reference image. Enter the
coordinates for the corners of the reference image’s subset region in these number fields.
UL X: Enter the upper left X coordinate in this number field.
UL Y: Enter the upper left Y coordinate in this number field.
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LR X: Enter the lower right X coordinate in this number field.
LR Y: Enter the lower right Y coordinate in this number field.
Match: By default, the coordinates represent the entire match image. Enter the coordinates
for the corners of the match image’s subset region in these number fields.
UL X: Enter the upper left X coordinate in this number field.
UL Y: Enter the upper left Y coordinate in this number field.
LR X: Enter the lower right X coordinate in this number field.
LR Y: Enter the lower right Y coordinate in this number field.
Output Reference Image: Displays the name of the reference image created by the
subsetting process. After subset processing, the output reference image is located in the
Work Images Directory you specify in the StereoSAR Options dialog. Click the icon
to view the output reference image.
Output Match Image: Displays the name of the match image created by the subsetting
process. After subset processing, the output match image is located in the Work Images
Directory you specify in the StereoSAR Options dialog. Click the icon to view the
output match image.
Despeckle
This is the third step of the DEM generation process. This step allows you to remove the
speckling commonly found in radar images.
Click the Despeckle check box to enable the Despeckle options. By default, this check box
is not activated, and the Despeckle options are disabled.
Filter: Click this popup list to select a filter to remove image speckle. Your options are Lee-
Sigma, Frost or Gamma-MAP. The other Despeckle options are active depending upon the
filter you select.
Lee-Sigma The Lee-Sigma filter uses the mean value of the pixels in the local region of
the moving window that fall within the designated range of standard deviations.
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Frost The Frost filter is a minimum mean square error algorithm that adapts to the local
statistics of the image to preserve edges and small features.
Gamma-MAP The MAP filter maximizes the a posteriori probability density function.
This filter attempts to derive the original pixel value that must lie between the local average
and the degraded pixel value.
Coef. of Variation: The Coef. of Variation number field is active when you choose a Lee-
Sigma filter. Enter the coefficient of variation for the scene. This number will be reported in
the Session Log.
Coef. of Var. Multiplier: Click the button next to 2.0, 1.0, or 0.5 as the value by which
to multiply the Coefficient of Variation.
Moving Window: This section allows you to select the size of your moving window, or
kernel.
Size: Click this popup list to select an odd number to define the square kernel size. You
can choose from a 3x3 moving window up to a 21x21 moving window.
Despeckle process. After running the Despeckle process, clicking the icon opens the
output reference image in a Viewer. This image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
Output Match Image: Displays the name of the match image created by the Despeckle
process. After running the Despeckle process, clicking the icon opens this match image
in a Viewer. This image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
Degrade
This is the fourth step of the DEM generation process. This step allows you to lower the
resolution of the images by a factor in the X (cross track) and Y (along track) directions. It works
the same way as the Image Degradation option in the Image Interpreter.
By default, the Degrade check box is not activated, and the Degrade options are disabled.
Click this check box to enable the Degrade options.
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Scaling Factor: The Degrade parameters in the X and Y direction are listed in the Scaling
Factor section of the dialog.
X Scale: Use the arrows or enter a value to adjust the X Scale. The X Scale and the Y
Scale do not have to be the same. The larger the Scaling Factor, the more the resolution
is decreased.
Y Scale: Use the arrows or enter a value to adjust the Y Scale. The Y Scale and the X
Scale do not have to be the same. The larger the Scaling Factor, the more the resolution
is decreased.
SAR Plane: The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Plane section of the Degrade step tells
you the area on the ground that one pixel represents.
Range pixel spacing in meters: The Range pixel spacing in meters is in the cross
track direction and corresponds to the X axis. It is the area on the ground one pixel in the
image represents.
ground: The area on the ground that one pixel represents. Ground is measured in
meters.
Azimuth pixel spacing in meters: The Azimuth pixel spacing in meters is in the
along track direction and corresponds to the Y axis. It is the area on the ground one pixel in
the image represents.
meters.
Rescale to Unsigned 8-bit By default, this check box is not activated. Click this check
box to change your 16-bit or floating-point data to 8-bit data. Rescaling to unsigned 8-bit data
saves system storage space and improves speed of rendering.
first Degrade process. After running the Degrade process, clicking the icon opens this
reference image in a Viewer. The image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
If you enable the Rescale to Unsigned 8-bit option, the name of the reference image created
will also be shown in this area. You can click the icon to open the reference image in a
Viewer.
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Output Match Image: Displays the name of the match image created by the first
Degrade process. After running the Degrade process, clicking the icon opens this match
image in a Viewer. The image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
If you enable the Rescale to Unsigned 8-bit option, the name of the generated match image
is also shown in this area. You can click the icon to open the match image in a Viewer.
Register
This is the fifth step of the DEM generation process. This step minimizes any shift in the Y
direction.
By default, the Registration check box not is activated, and the CellArray is not enabled.
Click the Registration check box to enable the registration CellArray.
Clicking StereoSAR Co-registration tool opens the StereoSAR Registration Tool, a

GCP Tool, and six IMAGINE Viewers. You use the StereoSAR Registration Tool to collect
tie points in the reference and match images.
Match Image Affine: The Match Image Affine coefficients are loaded by default. Ideally,
you use the StereoSAR Registration Tool to calculate an affine, which removes the shift in
the Y direction.
The first set of three rows corresponds to how the geometric model warps the match image
to the reference image to remove the parallax in the Y direction. The second set of three rows
corresponds to the coordinates of the original match image, which is where height information
is stored.
previous Rescale process; the reference image is not affected by the Register step. After you
register the images, clicking the icon opens the reference image in a Viewer. The image
is stored in the Work Images Directory.
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StereoSAR
Output Match Image: Displays the name of the match image created by the registration
process. After you register the images, clicking the icon opens the match image in a
Viewer. The image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
Constrain
This is the sixth step of the DEM generation process. You use it to identify an area of your image
that is going to use a specific correlator range. This correlator range is different from that used
by the rest of the image. Constrain is useful if there are areas in your image without obvious
features. In those areas, you can use a more rigorous correlator to obtain better results.
Click the check box to enable Constraint. By default, it is not selected, and the New
Constraint Image (*.img) text field is empty.
Click this icon to open the StereoSAR Constrain Image Tool. With it, you can choose a
portion of your image for DEM generation using a different correlator range.
New Constraint Image (.img) Click the icon to select an existing constraint image
from the File Selector, or use the StereoSAR Constrain Image Tool to create a new
constraint image.
Match
This is the seventh step of the DEM generation process. You use Match to define a region or
regions and choose correlators.
Match moves the correlator point-by-point in the match image to find its corresponding point
in the reference image. This generates two parallaxes, one in the X direction and one in the
Y direction, which are a measure of the shift necessary to get the match and reference
images to agree.
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Matching Regions: The match regions and their correlators are displayed in this
section. Information includes upper left X (ulx) coordinate, upper left Y (uly) coordinate, lower
right X (lrx) coordinate, lower right Y (lry) coordinate and status. Status indicates whether or
not the region will be processed.
Click this icon to remove the current parallax files and create blank ones. This option
is useful if you have already executed the Match step, but decide you want to apply a different
correlator to all or a portion (region) of the reference image.
If you click this icon, you are prompted to blank the current parallax layers. You can then open
the StereoSAR Regions Tool dialog to redefine regions and correlators.
Click this icon to open the StereoSAR Regions Tool. With it, you can choose regions
of the reference image to be processed with specific correlators. You can also choose to
process regions with the default correlator.
Click this icon to start the StereoSAR Correlator definition tool.
Correlation Image Click this check box to generate and save the correlation image
during matching. This image is based on the correlation values of the reference and match
images on a point-by-point basis. You can see the values used to create this image in the
Correlation Results section of the StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool dialog. By default,
the Correlation Image check box is not activated.
Correlation Image: Displays the name of the correlation image created during
processing. Clicking the icon opens the correlation image in a Viewer.
X Parallax Image: Displays the name of the X Parallax image created during processing.
Clicking the icon opens the X Parallax image in a Viewer.
Y Parallax Image: Displays the name of the Y Parallax image created during processing.
Clicking the icon opens the Y Parallax image in a Viewer.
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StereoSAR
Degrade
This is the eighth step of the DEM generation process. This step runs the degrade process on
the Correlation, X Parallax, and Y Parallax images created in the Match step. This is the same
process run by the Image Degradation option in Image Interpreter.
Click the Degrade check box to enable the Degrade options. By default, this check box is not
activated, and the Degrade options are disabled.
Scaling Factor: The Degrade parameters in the X and Y direction are listed in the Scaling
Factor section of the dialog.
X Scale: Use the arrows or enter a value to adjust the X Scale. A small number results
in greater resolution than a large number. The X Scale and the Y Scale do not have to
agree. A larger Scaling Factor results in reduced resolution.
Y Scale: Use the arrows or enter a value to adjust the Y Scale. A small number results
in greater resolution than a large number. The Y Scale and the X Scale do not have to
agree. A larger Scaling Factor results in reduced resolution.
SAR Plane: The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Plane section of the Degrade step tells
you the area on the ground that one pixel represents.
Range pixel spacing in meters: The Range pixel spacing in meters is in the cross
track direction and corresponds to the X axis. It is the area on the ground one pixel in the
image represents.
meters.
Azimuth pixel spacing in meters: The Azimuth pixel spacing in meters is in the
along track direction and corresponds to the Y axis. It is the area on the ground one pixel in
the image represents.
meters.
Correlation Image: Displays the name of the correlation image created during the
second Degrade process. After running the Degrade process, click this icon to open the
correlation image in a Viewer. This image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
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X Parallax Image: Displays the name of the X Parallax image created during the second
Degrade process. After running the Degrade process, click this icon to open the X
Parallax image in a Viewer. This image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
Y Parallax Image: Displays the name of the Y Parallax image created in the second
Degrade process. After running the Degrade process, click this icon to open the Y
Parallax image in a Viewer. This image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
Height
This is the ninth and final step in the DEM generation process. This step has two parts: first, the
height is calculated using the parallax values, then the DEM is put into a map coordinate system.
This step also allows you to select the output DEM area, as well as view an image that
displays the RMS error of the calculations made with your GCPs.
Click this icon to create an output region for your DEM. The StereoSAR Output
Region Tool dialog opens.
Output Region: Enter the coordinates of the output region in these number fields. The
number fields are also updated when you use the StereoSAR Output Region Tool to calculate
an Output Region.
UL X: Enter the upper left X coordinate of the output DEM in this number field.
UL Y: Enter the upper left Y coordinate of the output DEM in this number field.
LR X: Enter the lower right X coordinate of the output DEM in this number field.
LR Y: Enter the lower right Y coordinate of the output DEM in this number field.
Output DEM Image (*.img) Enter the name for the newly created DEM image. You may
want to click the icon to open the File Selector dialog. Then, you can select a directory
in which to save the Output DEM. Otherwise, it will be stored in the Work Images Directory
you choose in the StereoSAR Options dialog.
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Output Spacing: Click the up and down arrows to change the spacing of the output DEM.
This is the output DEM’s resolution where a pixel equals an area on the ground. This number
field defaults to whatever scaling factor you used in the Degrade step.
Output Map Projection: Displays the map projection of your reference image. This is
the map projection of your output DEM image unless you change it by clicking the Set button
to access the StereoSAR Output Map Information dialog.
Reset Click this button to reset the projection to that of the reference image.
Set... Click this button to change the projection used for the output DEM. The StereoSAR
Output Map Information dialog opens. From the dialog, you can choose to set a new
projection for the DEM.
Generate RMS Distance Image Click this check box to create an image based on the
root mean square (RMS) error of the calculations.
RMS Distance Image: Displays the name of the RMS Distance Image created during
processing. This image is based on the measure of the diff RMS value (on a point-by-point
basis) that you can find in the StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool dialog. If you clicked the
Generate RMS Distance Image check box to create this image, click this icon to open
this RMS distance image in a Viewer. This image is stored in the Work Images Directory.
DEM Image: Displays the name of the final DEM image created by IMAGINE StereoSAR
DEM. Click this icon to open the DEM in a Viewer. This image is stored in the Work
Images Directory and is the final result of IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM processing.
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StereoSAR Options
StereoSAR Options
This dialog opens when you click the icon in the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog.
The StereoSAR Options dialog allows you to change the Work Images Directory and Correlators
Directory, and choose whether to keep or remove the files generated after each step of the digital
elevation model (DEM) generation process.
These options can be applied to your IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project at any time during the
DEM generation process. However, files previously saved in one directory will not move to the
new directory; only the newly created images are in the new directory.
Work Images Directory: This text field displays the default output directory where the
project’s image files are stored. You can change the output directory in this text field (for the
image files of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project you are currently working on).
This directory is specified in the User Interface & Session category of the Preference
Editor. It is listed in the Default Output Directory preference text field (for all output images
created with ERDAS IMAGINE).
Correlators Directory: This text field displays the default output directory for the
project’s correlator files. Correlators supplied with IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM are located in
the <IMAGINE_HOME>/etc/correlators directory, where <IMAGINE_HOME> is the location
of IMAGINE on your system. You can change the Correlators Directory in this text field (for
just the correlator files of the project you are currently working on).
Delete Working Images in Progress Click this check box to delete the image files
created during the DEM generation process. When activated, only the files created in the
previous step are saved in your Work Images Directory. When the check box is not activated,
all image files from each Process Step are saved in your Work Images Directory.
Deleting the old files after processing saves significant space, but keeping the files allows you
to go back to a specific image and reprocess it without starting from the very beginning of the
process.
Auto-save on ‘Next’ and ‘Prev’ Click this check box to automatically save the
IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project each time you click the Next or Prev button.
Apply Click to apply any changes to your IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM project and close the
StereoSAR Options dialog.
Close Click to close the StereoSAR Options dialog without applying any changes to your
project.
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StereoSAR Options
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StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool
The StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool opens when you click the icon in the IMAGINE
StereoSAR DEM main dialog.
The StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool determines the height of points in your reference and
match images by choosing the same visual point in both of them.The StereoSAR Stereo
Solutions Tool determines the height using the orbit parameters.
Click this icon to place a reference point in the reference image. The cursor turns into
a crosshair when positioned over the IMAGINE Viewer displaying the reference image.
Select your reference point by clicking the location in the image. You may want to zoom into
the image to select the exact pixel.
Click this icon to place a match point in the match image. The cursor turns into a
crosshair when positioned over the IMAGINE Viewer displaying the match image. Select
your match point by clicking the location in the image. You may want to zoom into the image
to select the exact pixel.
Click this icon to align the match point with the reference point. The match point
automatically moves to the same file coordinate (pixel) position as the reference point. This
may or may not be the correct placement of the match pixel. You can obtain the exact
placement of the match point by clicking the Calculate Shift icon.
Click this icon to calculate the height of the point you placed in the reference and match
images. The data is displayed in the Height Results in meters area of the StereoSAR Stereo
Solutions Tool dialog.
Click this icon to calculate the shift between the reference and match images. The data
is displayed in the Correlation Results area of the StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool dialog.
Click this icon to open the StereoSAR Correlator dialog.
Sample: The Sample information in the left-hand portion of the StereoSAR Stereo
Solutions dialog gives the coordinate of the reference point along the X axis. Sample is
provided for both the match and the reference image.
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Line: The Line information in the left-hand portion of the StereoSAR Stereo Solutions
dialog gives the coordinate of the reference point along the Y axis. Line is provided for both
the match and the reference image.
Height Results in meters: This section gives the results from using the Calculate
Height icon.
height (iterative): This number field gives the results in meters. The iterative process
is not as fast as the analytic process, but is slightly more accurate.
diff RMS (iterative): This number field gives the RMS error for the selected point.
height (analytic): This number field gives the results in meters. The analytic process is
faster than the iterative process, but is not as accurate.
diff RMS (analytic): This number field gives the RMS error for the selected point.
Correlation Results: This section of the StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool gives the
results from using the Correlators icon.
correlation: The correlation number gives a measure of how strong a match exists
between the reference and match points. The correlation scale ranges from 0 to 1, where
the closer the result is to 1, the better the match.
level: The level number lists the pyramid layer that satisfied the threshold for generating
the correlation. You can click the Correlators icon to see the pyramid layer levels. The
correlator processes the levels from largest to smallest.
vector x: The vector x number shows the shift necessary to get the match point to agree
with the reference point along the X axis. The vector x value is added to (or subtracted
from) the reference point’s Sample value to get the accurate position of the match point.
vector y: The vector y number shows the shift necessary to get the match point to agree
with the reference point along the Y axis. The vector y value is added to (or subtracted
from) the reference point’s Line value to get the accurate position of the match point.
Current Correlator: Displays the correlator used in calculating the vector x and vector
y. You can use the default correlator, or you can choose a correlator from the StereoSAR
Correlator dialog. You can choose from many predefined correlators that are stored in
<IMAGINE_HOME>/etc/correlators directory, where <IMAGINE_HOME> is the location of
IMAGINE on your system.
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Close Click to close the StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool dialog. The two Viewers
displaying the reference and match images also close.
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StereoSAR Flight Path Adjustment
This dialog opens when you click the red reference image icon or the green match image
icon in the Input step of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog. IMAGINE Viewers
displaying the reference image and a GCP Tool also open. This dialog allows you to correct the
orbit of the radar sensor that obtained the radar images being used for the IMAGINE StereoSAR
DEM project.
Flight Path State: This section of the dialog allows you to control how the flight path will
be altered with the Flight Path Correction Options. If the flight path of the image has not been
altered, the Flight Path State is ‘original.’ If the flight path of the image has been altered, the
Flight Path State is ‘corrected.’
Flight Path Correction Options: Select the options with which you are going to
correct the sensor’s flight path. The default setting is to correct all options.
Reset orbit before each correction Click this check box to always return to the original
flight path before running each correction. If the check box is not enabled, the correction
starts from the current flight path.
Along track (azimuth) correction Click this check box to correct the flight path in the
Y direction of the sensor. Along track corresponds to the forward flight path of the sensor.
Cross track (range) correction Click this check box to correct the flight path in the X
and Z directions of the sensor. Cross track corresponds to the side-looking flight path of
the sensor. Z corresponds to elevation.
Constant: Constant works with Vertical Offset and Elevation Units. It provides average
measurement of the height of the area.
Elevation File: Elevation File works with File (*.img) and Elevation Units where you
choose a DEM file from a File Selector. You choose an existing DEM for height information.
Vertical offset: Vertical offset is the average height of the reference image. It works with
the Constant option.
File (*.img) Choose a DEM file to supply the average height of the region. A File Selector
opens from which you can select the file.
Elevation Units Elevation Units defaults to meters, but you can also choose feet.
Meters Units of elevation data in meters.
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Feet Units of elevation data in feet.
Residuals in meters: The Residuals in meters section of the StereoSAR Flight Path
Adjustment dialog gives information about the geometric model after you solve it. You can see
in this area where your error is greatest, in the along or cross track direction.
Additional information you can obtain in this section includes: final residuals (overall, along
track, and cross track errors), overall along track and cross track RMS errors, and along track
and cross track mean errors.
GCP Tools: These icons provide the tools for creating ground control points (GCPs),
calculating RMS errors, solving models, and updating Z values in the GCP Tool CellArray. For
a more detailed explanation of these tools, consult the GCP Tool On-line Help.
Click this icon to enable or disable the GCP editing icons in the StereoSAR Flight
Adjustment dialog.
Click this icon to solve the geometric model with control points.
Click this icon to automatically compute the transformation calculation to solve the
geometric model.
Click this icon to automatically update the Z values for all of the GCPs.
Click this icon to compute the RMS error for the check points.
Click this icon to use the selection cursor to select ground control points in order to
move them.
Click this icon to create new GCPs. The cursor turns into a crosshair when placed
over the image in the IMAGINE Viewer. This tool must be locked to create multiple GCPs
one after another.
When this icon is displayed, the tool currently in use is locked.
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When this icon is displayed, the tool currently in use is unlocked. This allows you
to select different GCP tools.
Click this icon to find a selected point in the match image. The image adjusts in the
Viewer to display the point.
Click this icon to find a selected point in the reference image. The image adjusts in
the Viewer to display the point.
Apply Click to apply the changes to the flight path of the reference and/or match image. If
you click Apply, the Flight Path status (located on the Input step of the IMAGINE StereoSAR
DEM main dialog) changes to ‘corrected.’
Reset Click to remove all edits and model computations from your reference and/or match
image and reset the image to the original parameters.
Close Click to close the StereoSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool. The Viewers and GCP
Tool dialog also close.
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StereoSAR Subset Tool
The StereoSAR Subset Tool opens when you click the icon in the Subset step of the
IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog.This dialog allows you to create a digital elevation model
(DEM) from a subsetted portion of the original reference and match images.
Reference: This section allows you to create a subset of the reference image by either
entering coordinates of the area or creating the area graphically.
Click this icon to graphically create the subset area in the reference image. The
cursor changes to a cross hair when positioned over the IMAGINE Viewer displaying the
reference image.
Clicking in the Viewer creates a box that can be adjusted by dragging the corners sides to
fit the area you want to subset. The coordinates of the area are displayed in the UL X, UL
Y, LR X and LR Y number fields.
UL X: Enter the upper left X coordinate for the subset area of the reference image. This
number field will also display the upper left X coordinate created graphically with the
UL Y: Enter the upper left Y coordinate for the subset area of the reference image. This
number field will also display the upper left Y coordinate created graphically with the
LR X: Enter the lower right X coordinate for the subset area of the reference image. This
number field will also display the lower right X coordinate created graphically with the
LR Y: Enter the lower right Y coordinate for the subset area of the reference image. This
number field will also display the lower right Y coordinate created graphically with the
Match: This section allows you to create a subset of the input match image by either
entering coordinates of the area or creating the area graphically.
Click this icon to graphically create the subset area in the match image. The cursor
changes to a cross hair when positioned over the IMAGINE Viewer displaying the match
image.
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Clicking in the Viewer creates a box that can be adjusted by dragging the corners and
sides to fit the area you want to subset. The coordinates of the area are displayed in the
UL X, UL Y, LR X and LR Y number fields.
UL X: Enter the upper left X coordinate for the subset of the match image. This number
field will also display the upper left X coordinate created graphically with the match image
box.
UL Y: Enter the upper left Y coordinate for the subset of the match image. This number
field will also display the upper left Y coordinate created graphically with the match image
box.
LR X: Enter the lower right X coordinate for the subset of the match image. This number
field will also display the lower right X coordinate created graphically with the match image
box.
LR Y: Enter the lower right Y coordinate for the subset of the match image. This number
field will also display the lower right Y coordinate created graphically with the match image
box.
Apply Click to apply the reference and match images’ subset coordinates and close the
StereoSAR Subset Tool dialog. The two IMAGINE Viewers displaying the reference and
match images also close.
Close Click to close the StereoSAR Subset Tool dialog without applying the subset
coordinates. The two Viewers displaying the reference and match images also close.
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StereoSAR Registration Tool
The StereoSAR Registration Tool opens when you click the icon in the Register step of the
IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog. Six IMAGINE Viewers displaying the reference and
match images at different resolutions as well as a GCP Tool also open.
This dialog allows you to collect tie points in your reference and match images. Tie points are
similar to ground control points in that they mark the same area in both a reference and a match
image.
Affine State: The Affine State text field tells you if the geometric model has been solved
using the tie points. To change the Affine State from ‘not solved’ to ‘solved,’ you enter tie
points and click to solve the model.
Match Image Affine: This CellArray allows you to see how the tie points affect the
output X and Y coordinates.
The first set of first three rows provides the coefficients of the equation used to shift the match
image to agree with the reference image. The second set of three rows provides information
about the original image position needed to derive height.
Maximum Parallax: This portion of the StereoSAR Registration Tool tells you the shift
necessary to get the tie points of the match image to agree with those of the reference image.
Parallax is a search area used by the StereoSAR Correlator to determine the shift along the
X and Y axes.
Maximum X Shift: This number field lists the maximum shift along the X axis to get the
match tie point to agree with the reference tie point. It can be either a positive or negative
number.
Maximum Y Shift: This number field lists the maximum shift along the Y axis to get the
number.
Minimum X Shift: This number field lists the minimum shift along the X axis to get the
number.
Minimum Y Shift: This number field lists the minimum shift along the Y axis to get the
number.
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GCP Tools: These tools help you create ground control points (GCPs), tie points,
calculate RMS errors, solve models, and update Z values. For more information, see the GCP
Tool On-line Help.
Click this icon to enable or disable the GCP editing icons in the StereoSAR
Registration Tool dialog.
Click this icon to solve your geometric model with control points.
Click this icon to automatically compute the transformation calculation to solve your
geometric model.
Click this icon to automatically update the Z values for all GCPs.
Click this icon to compute the RMS error for check points.
Click this icon to use the selection cursor to select ground control points in order to
move them.
Click this icon to create new GCPs or tie points. The cursor turns into a crosshair
when placed over image in the IMAGINE Viewer. This tool must be locked to create
multiple GCPs one after another.
This icon shows that the tool currently in use is locked.
This icon shows that the tool currently in use is unlocked. This allows you to use
different GCP tools.
Click this icon to find a selected point in the match image. The image in the Viewer
will adjust to display the point.
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Click this icon to find a selected point in the reference image. The image in the
Viewer will adjust to display the point.
Apply Click to apply the changes in the StereoSAR Registration Tool. Apply also transfers
the values in the Match Image Affine section of the StereoSAR Registration Tool to the
Register step of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog.
Close Click to close the StereoSAR Registration Tool. The Viewers and GCP Tool also
close.
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StereoSAR Regions Tool
The StereoSAR Regions Tool opens when you click the Match Regions icon in the Match
step of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog.This dialog allows you to define regions and
correlators using an IMAGINE Viewer displaying the reference image.
Regions you create with the StereoSAR Regions Tool can be grouped into one region using the
StereoSAR Output Region Tool in the Height step of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main
dialog. Changes you make using the StereoSAR Regions Tool are automatically applied and
transferred to the Match panel of the main IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM dialog.
Regions File: This section of the StereoSAR Regions Tool states whether the default
region information (the entire reference image) is being used, or whether you have defined a
region.
Click this icon to create a region in the reference image. When you click in the Viewer,
a box is created that can be made larger or smaller by dragging the corners and sides.
Click this icon to create a region that covers the entire image. By default, the
StereoSAR Regions Tool uses the entire image.
Click this icon to open the StereoSAR Correlator dialog. You can view the parameters
of the current correlator, or you can load a different one from the <IMAGINE_HOME>/etc/
correlators directory. <IMAGINE_HOME> is where IMAGINE is loaded on your system.
Current Region Definition: This area displays the coordinates of your selected region.
The active region is indicated by a yellow highlight in the Regions section of the StereoSAR
Regions Tool. You can either create a region graphically using the icon, or you can use
the entire image by clicking the icon.
UL X: This number field displays the upper left X coordinate of the region.
UL Y: This number field displays the upper left Y coordinate of the region.
LR X: This number field displays the lower right X coordinate of the region.
LR Y: This number field displays the lower right Y coordinate of the region.
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Correlator File (*.ssc) Enter the name of the correlator file to apply to the region defined
in the Current Region Definition section. You can also use the icon to choose a
correlator file from a File Selector. By default, correlators are stored in the
<IMAGINE_HOME>/etc/correlators directory, where <IMAGINE_HOME> is the location
of where IMAGINE is loaded on your system.
Process: Process works in conjunction with the Correlator File (*.ssc). Use the Process
drop down list to choose Yes or No to process the region using the correlator file.
Yes Choose Yes to process the region using the specified correlator.
No Choose No so that the region is not processed.
Regions: This section shows you the specific coordinates for each region and its
corresponding correlator in a CellArray. To change the parameters of a region, click its
Region number to select it. The row is highlighted in yellow. You can then type new
coordinates and/or choose a different correlator file.
To create a new region, right-click to select the existing row in the Region column and select
Insert Row. Then, you can either type in coordinates or create a region using the icon.
You can also choose a correlator to process the new region in the Correlator File (*.ssc)
window.
Load... Click to load an IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM region from the Load StereoSAR
region dialog.This dialog is a File Selector in which you navigate to the appropriate directory,
then select the file. IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM regions have an .ssr extension. The region file
you load displays in the Regions File area of the StereoSAR Regions Tool.
Save Click to save the region parameters in a IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM region (*.ssr) file.
Save As... Click to save the region parameters to a new IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM region
(*.ssr) file.
Close Click to close the StereoSAR Regions Tool dialog. The Viewer displaying the
reference image also closes.
If you created regions or changed correlators, that information displays in the Matching
Regions section of the Match step of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog.
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StereoSAR Correlator
This dialog opens when you click the icon in the StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool dialog,
the StereoSAR Regions Tool or in the Match step of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main
dialog.
This dialog allows you to view and edit the correlator used to calculate the shift needed to make
the match image agree with the reference image. This is how the height of each point is
determined. The correlator works in conjunction with the StereoSAR Registration Tool, which
determines the maximum amount of shift in both the X and Y direction.
By default, IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM stores correlators in the <IMAGINE_HOME>/etc/

correlators directory. <IMAGINE_HOME> is the place where IMAGINE is loaded on your
system. There, you can find many different correlators to apply to your images. Correlator files
end with the .ssc extension.
Current Correlator: This text field states the name of the correlator values currently
displayed in the StereoSAR Correlator dialog. Initially, it will say ‘default.’ However, you can
click the Load button to load another correlator. You can also make changes to the Correlator
Parameters and then choose Save As to save a new correlator file.
Correlator Parameters: The parameters for each pyramid layer are displayed in the
Correlator Parameters section of the StereoSAR Correlator dialog.
Level This column lists the correlator level and is sequential.
Average This column specifies the average pyramid layer that the level is operating on.
Size X This column lists the size of the correlator window along the X axis. It is measured
in pixels.
Size Y This column lists the size of the correlator window along the Y axis. It is measured
in pixels.
Search -X This column lists the negative search range along the X axis. It is measured
in pixels.
Search +X This column lists the positive search range along the X axis. It is measured
in pixels.
Search -Y This column lists the negative search range along the Y axis. It is measured
in pixels.
Search +Y This column lists the positive search range along the Y axis. It is measured
in pixels.
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Step X This column lists increments along the X axis, which are measured in pixels.
Step Y This column lists increments along the Y axis, which are measured in pixels.
Threshold This column lists the value threshold necessary for the correlator to move to
the next level of calculation. The threshold value ranges from 0 to1, where 1 is an optimal
match. If the number in the Value column is greater than or equal to the Threshold, then
the correlator is calculated at that level.
Value This column lists the value for that layer. Compare it to the Threshold value. If the
number in the Value column is greater than or equal to the threshold value, then it is
applied and the number 1 appears in the Applied column for that row. If the number in the
Value column does not meet the Threshold, then the number 0 appears in the Applied
column for that row, designating the correlator was not applied on that level.
Vector X This column lists the shift in the X direction.
Vector Y This column lists the shift in the Y direction.
Applied This column lists whether or not the correlator was applied at that level. If the
correlator was applied, then the Applied column shows ‘1;’ if the correlator was not
applied, then the Applied column shows ‘0.’
Apply Click to apply any changes you make in the StereoSAR Correlator dialog using the
keyboard.
Reset Click to return the StereoSAR Correlator dialog to the default parameters.
Load... Click to load a specific correlator file into the StereoSAR Correlator dialog.
Save Click to save any changes you make to a correlator file in the StereoSAR Correlator
dialog.
Save As... Click to save any changes you make using the keyboard to a new correlator
file, which you can later load into the StereoSAR Correlator dialog.
Close Click to close the StereoSAR Correlator dialog.
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StereoSAR Output Region Tool
This dialog opens when you click the icon in the Height step in the IMAGINE StereoSAR
DEM main dialog. An IMAGINE Viewer displaying the reference image also opens. You use the
parameters of the reference image to define the area you want the DEM to cover. This dialog
allows you to create an output region for your DEM image.
Click this icon to graphically create an output region. The cursor turns into a crosshair
when placed over a Viewer. Clicking in a Viewer creates a box that you can adjust to create
the output region.
Click the Compute Matching Areas icon to create a rectangle that includes smaller
regions you have created in a previous step, or to capture the entire image as the output
region.
In the case of smaller regions, you create them by using the StereoSAR Regions Tool in the
Match step of the DEM generation process. There, you specify certain regions in the
reference image that are processed with specific correlators. Then, you use the Compute
Matching Areas icon to create the smallest possible bounding rectangle that includes those
smaller regions. The area included within the bounding box becomes the output region.
Output Region: These number fields display the coordinates of the output region you
have created for the DEM image.
UL X: Enter the upper left X coordinate for the output region of the DEM. This number
field also displays the upper left X coordinate created graphically with the box or with the
Compute Matching Areas icon.
UL Y: Enter the upper left Y coordinate for the output region of the DEM. This number
field also displays the upper left Y coordinate created graphically with the box or with the
LR X: Enter the lower right X coordinate for the output region of the DEM. This number
field also displays the lower right X coordinate created graphically with the box or with the
LR Y: Enter the lower right Y coordinate for the output region of the DEM. This number
field also displays the lower right Y coordinate created graphically with the box or with the
Apply Click to apply the output region coordinates you have specified to the Height panel
and close the StereoSAR Output Region Tool dialog.
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Close Click to close the StereoSAR Output Region Tool dialog.
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StereoSAR Output Map Information

The StereoSAR Output Map Information dialog is opened when you click the Set button in the
Height step of the IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM main dialog. It allows you to change the projection
of the output DEM. The default projection for DEMs generated by IMAGINE StereoSAR DEM is
WGS84.
Current Reference Map Projection: This section displays information about the map
projection of your reference image.
Projection: Displays the map projection for the output DEM.
Zone Number: Displays the zone number for the output DEM.
Spheroid: Displays the spheroid for the DEM.
Datum: Displays the datum information for the DEM.
➲ See the On-line Help about Spheroids and Datums for a complete list of the spheroids and
datums supported in ERDAS IMAGINE, and a geographical list to help you determine the
correct datum for the area.
Elevation relative to: This field can show Ellipsoid or Geoid, depending on the
projection. If the Elevation is relative to Ellipsoid, then you need to enter an offset value in
the Ellipsoid to Geoid Offset field. Ellipsoid is the physical attribute of the earth. Geoid is
the geophysical attribute of the earth.
Ellipsoid to Geoid Offset: This value compensates for the difference between the
ellipsoid (flat sphere) representation of the earth versus the geoid (terrain-following)
representation of the earth.
Map Units: Click this popup list to select the map units for use in the DEM. Select from
Meters, Feet, Inches, Centimeters, Points or Other.
Map Units: Click this popup list to select the map units for use in the DEM. Select from
Degrees or Radians.
Add/Change Map Projection... Click this button to select a different projection for the
output DEM. The Projection Chooser dialog opens.
OK Click to apply the changes to the output DEM and close the StereoSAR Output Map
Information dialog.
Cancel Click to close the StereoSAR Output Map Information dialog without making any
changes to the projection of the output DEM.
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Radar Model Properties

This dialog is accessed by selecting either RADARSAT or ERS from the Set Geometric Model
dialog. The OrthoRadar tool is designed to rectify SAR images from their sensor coordinates into
specified map projections with a high degree of accuracy.
The tabs in the Radar Model Properties dialog include: General, Projection, Sparse Map, SAR
Model, and Ephemeris.
General The Radar Model Properties dialog opens in the General tab. Click this tab to
select the type of rectification to perform.
Operation parameters: Use this portion of the General tab to select which method of
rectification to perform. The major options are Geocode SAR Image, Orthorectify SAR
Image, or Orthorectify DEM (digital elevation model). You can enable other options such
as a vertical offset, input DEM filename, elevation units, or use ground control points
(GCPs) as appropriate.
Geocode SAR Image Click to select the Geocode SAR Image option.
Geocoding is the simplest method of rectification.The Geocode SAR Image option

performs height correction based on the assumption of a smooth earth spheroid. To
compensate for the smooth earth spheroid, geocoding works in conjunction with the
Vertical offset field. The value in the Vertical offset field should be set to the average
elevation of the area defined by the image, a subset of the image, or a specific feature
of interest to you. The Geocode SAR Image option does not use a DEM file.
Orthorectify SAR Image Click to select the Orthorectify SAR Image option.
The Orthorectify SAR Image option performs height correction in a more rigorous
simulation, actually correcting the lay-over effects produced by radar imagery. The
Orthorectify SAR Image option requires the use of a DEM file.
Orthorectify DEM Click to select the Orthorectify DEM option.
The Orthorectify DEM option corrects a DEM output from either the Stereo or
Interferometric tool. The original DEM is still in sensor coordinates, but the Orthorectify
DEM option resamples or calibrates the DEM into a map coordinate system.
Vertical offset: Click the up and down arrows to change the vertical offset values
(positive or negative), or manually type in the value. Vertical offset is active only when
the Geocode SAR Image option is selected. The Vertical offset field is used in
conjunction with the Elevation Units popup menu.
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The value in the Vertical offset field should be set to the average elevation of the area
defined by the image, a subset of the image, or specific feature of interest to you. It is
used to correct the difference between the sensor model ellipsoid and the actual
topography.
Input DEM filename: Type in the Input DEM filename or use the mouse to select by
clicking a file from the Input DEM filename dialog.
The Input DEM filename window is active only when the Orthorectify SAR Image
option is selected. The DEM is required to correct terrain height distortion.
If you change the name of the DEM or move the DEM between uses of the model, you
can locate it again by changing the DEM source.
Elevation Units: Click this popup menu to select the units of measure for either the
Vertical offset used to geocode or the DEM used to orthorectify.
Meters Click this option to select meters. You use this option when you want your
Vertical offset to be measured in meters or when your DEM is measured in meters.
Feet Click this option to select feet. You use this option when you want your
Vertical offset to be measured in feet or when your DEM is measured in feet.
Input SAR Image info: This uneditable portion of the General tab gives basic
information about the image you are working with. Information includes date, start time,
end time, duration, lines, samples, SAR plane, range time direction, and azimuth time
direction. This data originates from the header file of the image. You can get additional
information about the image from the SAR Model tab of the Radar Model Properties
dialog.
date: This is the date the image was acquired.
start time: This is the time the image acquisition began.
end time: This is the time the image acquisition ended.
duration: This is the length of time to acquire the image.
lines: This is the number of lines in (or height of) the original image.
samples: This is the number of samples in (or width of) the original image.
SAR plane: This is the sensor projection of the image (slant or ground).
range time direction: This is the along track time direction (increasing or
decreasing).
125
azimuth time direction: This is the across track time direction (increasing or
decreasing).
Flight Path Correction Parameters: Use this portion of the General tab to activate the
Use GCP’s option. Using ground control points increases the accuracy of the calibrate or
resample operation. You can use both along track (azimuth) correction and cross track
(range) correction, or you can choose only one type of correction.
Use GCP’s Click to activate the Use GCP’s option during processing to make the
sensor model more accurate. When this option is selected, the GCP Tool
automatically opens when you click Apply.
Along track (azimuth) correction Along track (azimuth) correction parameters

are used to correct errors in the time reading from the header file. Consult the SAR
Model tab to determine the time direction for increasing or decreasing lines and
samples. The Y residual is in the along track direction. Click the checkbox to select
or deselect along track (azimuth) flight line correction.
Cross track (range) correction Cross track (range) correction parameters are
used to correct errors in the distance readings. Consult the SAR Model tab to
determine the time direction for increasing or decreasing lines and samples. The X
residual is in the cross track direction. Click the checkbox to select or deselect
cross track (range) flight line correction.
Flight Path State: The Flight Path State tells you if your image is in its original sensor
coordinate system (original), or if the sensor flight path has been corrected (corrected).
Reset flight path Click this button to return the image to the model defined by the
original header ephemeris data.The correction you apply using the GCP tool is not
saved with the image. Use this button to undo changes you make to the original
image.
Save flight path Click this button to save the correction you apply to the image
using the GCP tool. This button saves the updated coordinate system to the image.
Save flight path replaces the header information of the original image.
Projection The Projection tab defines the output map projection system.
Current Reference Map Projection: This section gives information about the output
map projection system. The listed parameters are applied to the image from which the
Geometric Correction option is started. The rectified or calibrated output image has the
map projection you select from the Projection tab.
The parameters can be changed using either the Add/Change Projection... button or the
Set Projection from GCP Tool... button.
126
Projection: This is the current output map projection system.
Spheroid: This is the current output spheroid.
Zone Number: This is the current output zone number.
Datum: This is the current output datum.
➲ For an alphabetical list of which datums are applicable to particular areas, see Spheroids
and Datums.
Map Units: Map units can be selected from this popup menu, or they are automatically
assigned depending on the options you select in the Current Reference Map Projection
section.
Meters Select this option to project the image in meters.
Feet Select this option to project the image in feet.
Inches Select this option to project the image in inches.
Centimeters Select this option to project the image in centimeters.
Points Select this option to project the image in points.
Other Select this option to project the image in another unit, such as Lat/Lon.
Add/Change Projection... Click the Add/Change Projection button to change the

projection of the output image. The Projection Chooser dialog opens. Select either the
Standard or Custom tab to make projection selections.
Standard Click the Standard tab to select both categories and projections that are
already defined and saved in a library.
Custom Click the Custom tab to access projection parameters and to create a
custom projection. To add a custom projection to the library, enter a file name to store
the category, then click Save. The file then appears in the Standard list.
Set Projection from GCP Tool... Click on the Set Projection from GCP Tool button to
automatically launch the GCP Tool Reference SetUp dialog. This allows selection of a
projection from many other sources such as a vector layer and digitizing tablet.
Sparse Map The Sparse Map tab is provided to give information regarding the density of
pixels for which an exact solution is calculated. To speed the resampling process, the model
should not calculate the exact solution for every pixel. Rather, a sampling factor is used so
that the model can interpolate, typically using the Nearest Neighbor method.
127
Sparse map parameters: The Sparse Map parameters can be adjusted lower to
calculate a tighter grid and smaller error, or higher to calculate a wider grid and larger
error. In most cases, the default values for both the Range sampling factor and the
Azimuth sampling factor are acceptable.
Range sampling factor: Click the up or down arrows or manually enter the sampling
factor. The Range sampling factor designates the number of pixels in the cross track
direction of the sparse map. Larger values produce a coarser image; smaller numbers
produce a finer image.
Azimuth sampling factor: Click the up or down arrows or manually enter the
sampling factor. The Azimuth sampling factor designates the number of pixels in the
along track direction of the sparse map. Larger values produce a coarser image;
smaller numbers produce a finer image.
Size in number of bytes: Size in number of bytes is an uneditable field. It is

automatically calculated depending on the relative proximity of the range and azimuth
sampling factors. This field is supplied to advise you of the system resources needed
to rectify the input image.
SAR Model The SAR Model tab allows you to view some of the key SAR parameters
contained in the header file of the radar image. The information in this dialog is not editable.
Ephemeris Ephemeris data is calculated based on the position and velocity of the
satellite when the scene was acquired. This dialog is useful after you correct the orbit model
using GCPs. Changes to the model are reflected in the satellite ephemeris coefficients.The
data in this dialog are not directly editable.
Satellite ephemeris vectors: This field contains the vectors of the ephemeris points
provided in the header file of the image.
Satellite ephemeris coefficients: This field contains the mathematical model orbit
derived from the vector information above. The satellite ephemeris coefficients continue
to change as you alter the sensor model.
Apply Click the Apply button after selecting the model properties. The parameters must be
applied before using the GCP Tool, or the Resample or Calibration processes can proceed.
Reset Click the Reset button to discard model properties and return to the previously
applied or solved properties.
Save Click the Save button to save the SAR model and associated properties. Name and
save the file with a .gms extension in a directory to which you have write permission. The
model can then be accessed for later use by clicking the Open Existing Model... button on
the Set Geometric Model dialog.
128
Save As Click the Save As button to save a Geometric Model and associated properties
that you have just created either as a new file or to a new location. The model can then be
accessed for later use by clicking the Open Existing Model... button on the Set Geometric
Model dialog.
Close Click the Close button after you create a model and select Apply. The options to
launch the GCP Tool, perform Resample or Calibration processes automatically follow. You
can also click the Close button to cancel the selected properties and close the Radar Model
Properties dialog.
Help Click the Help button to get help for Radar Model Properties dialog and tabs.
Status: The status line gives information about the model.
129
Change DEM Source for SAR model
Change DEM Source for SAR model

You can create a model in OrthoRadar that includes a DEM. That model remembers both the
name and the location of that DEM associated with it. If, perchance, you move or rename that
DEM, you can access this dialog to relocate it. You can use a simple File Selector to locate the
file, and make the model functional again.
Old Elevation File: This field states the name of the original DEM used in the SAR
model.
New Elevation File: This field states the new DEM used in the SAR model. Click the
Open File icon and navigate to the directory containing the DEM you wish to use.
OK Click OK to accept the new DEM as part of the SAR model.
Cancel Click Cancel to close the dialog.
Help Click Help to open this On-line Help dialog.
130
Generic SAR Node parameters
☞ Please note that the Generic SAR Node parameters tool gives you access to the most
detailed components of an image’s ephemeris data. Before making edits using the Generic
SAR Node Tool, make absolutely sure you are entering the correct information or the image
can be damaged.
The Generic SAR Node parameters tool is designed to let you edit the more advanced
parameters of satellite orbit. All of the information is contained in the header file of the image:
Generic SAR Node Tool just presents that information divided by category. In the Generic SAR
Node Tool, you can change these parameters and assign them to a new file called a Transfer
file. You can then use the Transfer file in any of the other Radar utilities including StereoSAR,
IFSAR, OrthoRadar and Image Interpreter.
General The first tab is the General tab. On it, you find general information about the
image you load into the Generic SAR Node Tool for processing.
Input SAR image filename: You can use the Open File icon to access the File
Selector. From there, you navigate to the directory that contains the image you want to
process using the Generic SAR Node Tool.
Transfer SAR image filename: You can use the Open FIle icon to access the File
Selector. In the File Selector, you can navigate to the directory in which you want to save
the Transfer SAR image.
Original SAR image parameters: In this section of the Generic SAR Node Tool dialog
is information about the SAR image you have input into the dialog for processing to create
the Transfer file. The information in the boxes is obtained from the header file of the
original image.
Sensor: Click the arrow to select the type of sensor that acquired the image. You can
select from Generic SAR, RADARSAT or ERS.
Generic SAR SAR sensor type.
RADARSAT SAR sensor type.
131
ERS SAR sensor type.
Data Type: Click the arrow to select the Data Type.
Magnitude SAR data type.
Magnitude Beta0 SAR data type.
Magnitude Beta0 DB SAR data type.
Complex (Magnitude, Phase) SAR data type.
Complex (Real, Imaginary) SAR data type.
Complex (Complex Pixels) SAR data type.
Number of samples: The number of samples contained in the image. Samples

correspond to the X axis. You can click the up and down arrows to change the number
or lines and samples in the Transfer image.
Number of lines: The number of lines contained in the image. Lines correspond to
the Y axis. You can click the up and down arrows to change the number of lines and
samples in the Transfer image.
Range sample spacing in meters per sample: This number field corresponds to
the range pixel spacing of the image in meters per sample.
Azimuth line spacing in meters per sample: This number field corresponds to the
azimuth line spacing of the image in meters per line.
Near slant range in meters: The near slant range corresponds to the distance from
the sensor to the first range sample in meters.
Target height in meters: Target height is the average height of the scene. You can
adjust this number by typing in a value or by using the up and down arrows.
Wavelength in meters: Wavelength in meters corresponds to the wavelength

emitted by the sensor to obtain the image, measured in meters. You can change this
value by typing in a number or by using the arrows.
Range sample rate in Hz: Range sample rate is measured in Hz. You can type in a
value in this field, or you can use the arrows to change the value.
Date The Date tab tells you about the image you loaded into the Generic SAR Node Tool
dialog.
Collection year: This field tells you the year the image was acquired.
132
Collection month: This field tells you the month the image was acquired.
Collection day: This field tells you the day the image was acquired.
Collection day-of-year: This field tells you the day of the year (from one to three
hundred sixty-five) the image was acquired.
Image start time in seconds-of-day: This field tells you the seconds of the day that
image acquisition began.
Image end time in seconds-of-day: This field tells you the seconds of the day that
image acquisition ended.
Duration of image in seconds: This field tells you how long it took to acquire the image
in seconds.
0.0 SAR image duration in seconds.
Sensor The Sensor tab provides information about the sensor’s position as it acquired the
image.
Look direction: This field tells you which way the sensor was pointing when it took the
image: to the right or left.
right Sensor look direction.
left Sensor look direction.
Range time direction: This field tells you the time direction for increasing range. Range
is measured in the X direction.
increasing Range time direction.
decreasing Range time direction.
Azimuth time direction: This field tells you the time direction for increasing azimuth.
Azimuth is measured in the Y direction.
increasing Azimuth time direction.
decreasing Azimuth time direction.
SAR plane: SAR plane can be either slant or ground.
slant SAR plane.
ground SAR plane.
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Semi-major axis in meters: This field tells you the semi-major axis in meters for the
projection used to form the image.
Semi-minor axis in meters: This field tells you the semi-minor axis in meters for the
projection used to form the image.
Generate slant to ground range coefficients This check box allows you to choose to
generate the slant to ground range coefficients. Click the check box to generate
coefficients.
Slant to ground range coefficients in m, m^2, m^3, m^4, m^5: This cell array
provides coefficients.
Orbit The Orbit tab provides information about the orbit of the satellite as it acquired the
image, including ephemeris points, which are fully detailed in the Ephemeris tab.
Ephemeris coordinate system: You can choose from fixed or inertial for the
ephemeris coordinate system.
fixed Satellite ephemeris vectors coordinate system.
inertial Satellite ephemeris vectors coordinate system.
Number of ephemeris points: This number field tells you the number of ephemeris
points used to collect the image. The minimum number of ephemeris points is three.
Time of first ephemeris point in seconds-of-day: This number field tells you the
seconds of day that the first ephemeris point was obtained. You can use the arrows to
change the value, or you can manually type in a value.
Corrected time of first ephemeris point in seconds-of-day: This field is not directly
editable. After you have made changes in the other tabs of the Generic SAR Node Tool
dialog, this number field changes accordingly.
Time interval between ephemeris points in seconds: This number field tells you the
amount of time that passed between collection of ephemeris points.
Corrected time interval between ephemeris points in seconds: This field is not
directly editable. After you have made changes in the other tabs of the Generic SAR Node
Tool dialog, this number field changes accordingly.
Flight Path State: This field tells you if the flight path has been corrected. Other tools
in the Radar Mapping System such as IFSAR and StereoSAR, also have an orbit
correction tool called the Flight Path Adjustment Tool that you can use to correct the
flight path. Once the flight path has been corrected, this area will show ‘corrected’ instead
of ‘original.’
134
Ephemeris The Ephemeris tab provides information about the position of the satellite as
it took the image.
Satellite ephemeris vectors: The satellite ephemeris vectors are a measure of the
position of the satellite at the time it collected ephemeris points. The number of rows of
data corresponds to the number of ephemeris points shown in the Orbit tab, Number of
ephemeris points section. Information includes x position, y position, z position, x
velocity, y velocity and z velocity. Position values are measured in meters, and velocity
values are measured in meters per second.
Satellite ephemeris coefficients: The satellite ephemeris coefficients correspond to

the position of the sensor as it collected ephemeris points and the image. Information
includes x position, y position, z position, x velocity, y velocity and z velocity.
Subset The Subset tab allows you to create a subset of the original image.
Start of the range subset: Use the arrows or manually type in a value for where the
subset area will begin.
End of the range subset: Use the arrows or manually type in a value for where the
subset area will end. Range corresponds to the X axis.
Range degrade factor: Use the arrows or manually type in a value for the range degrade
factor. This number corresponds to the number of pixels the Generic SAR Node Tool
evaluates when creating the subset. For example, if you choose the number 2, then every
other pixel is considered to make the subset.
Start of the azimuth subset: Use the arrows or manually type in a value for where the
subset area will begin. Azimuth corresponds to the Y axis.
End of the azimuth subset: Use the arrows or manually type in a value for where the
subset area will end. Azimuth corresponds to the Y axis.
Azimuth degrade factor: Use the arrows or manually type in a value for the azimuth
degrade factor. This number corresponds to the number of pixels the Generic SAR Node
Tool evaluates when creating the subset. For example, if you choose the number 4, then
every fourth pixel is considered to make the subset.
Unity subset flag: This field changes depending on the other conditions you set above,
it is not directly editable.
false Unity subset flag.
Range number of samples: This text field shows the number of samples in the image
direction. Samples correspond to the X axis.
0 Number of subset samples in range.
135
Range number of lines: This text field shows the number of lines in the range direction.
Lines correspond to the Y axis.
0 Number of subset lines in azimuth.
Original Click Original to load in the coordinates that are associated with a particular type
of sensor, which you can choose from the General tab.
Model Click Model to create a model based on the ephemeris parameters you have
entered into the Generic SAR Node Tool dialog.
Reset Click the Reset button to change the parameters listed in the General, Date, Sensor,
Orbit, Ephemeris and Subset tabs back to the original values listed in the header file of the
input image.
Apply Click the Apply button to apply changes you have made in the General, Date,
Sensor, Orbit, Ephemeris and Subset tabs to the new Transfer image you specify in the
General tab.
Transfer Click Transfer once you are satisfied with the edited orbit information to transfer
it to the Transfer image.
Close Click Close to close the Generic SAR Node Tool dialog.
Help Click to open the Generic SAR Node Tool On-Line Help.
Specifies the look direction of the sensor.
Specifies the look direction of the sensor.
Specifies the flight path direction of the sensor.
Specifies the flight path direction of the sensor.
136
Status: Shows the current status of the Generic SAR Node Tool.
137

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Introduction to Radar Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Moving Window Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

What is Speckle Noise? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Radar Image Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Adjust Slant Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Complementary Data Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Using the Radar Interpreter Module functions with Non-Radar Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Radar Mapping Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Radar Speckle Suppression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Wallis Adaptive Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Slant Range Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

IFSAR Project Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

IFSAR Collection Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

IFSAR Flight Path Adjustment Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

IFSAR Pixel Register Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

IFSAR Subpixel Register Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

IFSAR Baseline Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

IFSAR Subset Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

IFSAR Interfere Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

IFSAR Complex Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

IFSAR Output Map Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

GCP Tool Reference Setup (IFSAR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Reference Map Information (IFSAR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

GCP Tool (IFSAR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

StereoSAR Project Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

StereoSAR Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

StereoSAR Stereo Solutions Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

StereoSAR Flight Path Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

StereoSAR Subset Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

StereoSAR Registration Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

StereoSAR Regions Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

StereoSAR Correlator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

StereoSAR Output Region Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

StereoSAR Output Map Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Radar Model Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Change DEM Source for SAR model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Generic SAR Node parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Introduction to Radar Data

This document discusses:

♦ Types of radar sensors

Adjust Slant Range

♦ Merging radar data with other types of data

Figure 1- SLAR Radar

Trees Hill Trees

Figure 1A - Received Radar Signal

Moving Window Processing

What is Speckle Noise?

The formula used is:

σ =image coefficient of variation value

|t| =|X-X0| + |Y-Y0|

n =moving window size

Source: Lopes, Nezry, Touzi, Laur, 1990

MAP Filter (Gamma-MAP)

σ = original image variance

ORIGINAL MEAN FILTERED MEDIAN FILTERED

Figure 2 - Effects of Mean and Median Filters

Local Region Filter

Figure 3 - Regions of Local Region Filter

For each region, the variance is calculated as follows: