Polarimetric radars and polarimetric SAR data in tasks of detection and identification of marine oil pollution

Abstract

Detecting and distinguishing different kinds of oil pollution, including spills of crude oil on the sea surface, is one important problem of modern remote sensing. The wide use of imaging radars is not always effective. In this review paper, the main principles and methods of polarization radar imaging and radar data processing are discussed based on present theoretical and experimental approaches and ideas. The efficiency of polarimetric methods for oil-spill detection and accurate identification on the sea surface is demonstrated as well. As is shown, modern methods of multipolarimetric radar-signal processing is a powerful means for improving oil-pollution detection and discrimination algorithms.