SARscape 4.2
sarscape42.png (100781 Byte) The new SARscape version 4.2 is available now. It contains the following improvements:

SARscape & ENVI

  • SARscapeŽ 4.2 fully supports ENVI 4.7.
  • A new "ENVI Data Import" function improves the ENVI vs SARscape compatibility.
  • The coregistration algorithm has been improved and it is now possible to use - or exclude - any of the parameters (i.e. orbits, amplitude correlation and coherence), which are considered for the shift estimate.
  • Several functions, which handle geocoded products, have been upgraded in order to enable to set different grid sizes in Easting and Northing direction.
  • Several "default values" settings have been introduced to fulfill different processing configurations; any of them can be modified as well as new ones can be stored.
  • New processing parameters have been added in the "default values" with the aim of optimally adapt the processing to different user needs and data characteristics.
  • Processing and visualization functionalities are not blocked when a processing is executed and run in batch mode.
  • Multiple processing sessions can be run in parallel on the same PC, by changing the "working directory" (Default Values>Directories).
  • Those users whose SARscape license runs on external hardware (i.e. USB or Parallel Dongle), must ask the local software provider for a dongle update.

New Supported Products

  • ERS Single Look Complex data are supported also in the standard ESA-ENVISAT format and NRSC (National Remote Sensing Centre - India) format.
  • SAR-Lupe Single Look Complex data
  • TELAER airborne data

Basic Module

  • Geocoded shape (shp) files can be transformed into a reference slant - or ground - range SAR image geometry.
  • Improved Layover and Shadow mask.
  • Three different calibration types can be performed on the SAR signal intensity (i.e. backscatter), these are: i) Sigma Nought (already available in previous software versions); ii) Gamma Nought; iii) Beta Nought.
  • The Geocoding function has been upgraded in order to exploit the computing resources of multi-core PCs.

Focusing Module

  • The ERS-1/2 and JERS-1 RAW data are imported and focused in one step. Their processing is supported only whether the Focusing Module license is available.
  • The Radarsat-1 RAW data are no more supported.

Interferometry Module

  • The new "Dual Pair Differential Interferometry" function is an extension of the 3-pass and the 4-pass differential interferometry approaches. The results consist of both a displacement map and an improved Digital Elevation Model obtained by combining the interferometric measurements with the input Digital Elevation model.
  • An extension of the Goldstein interferometric filtering method has been introduced. The image in the next page shows the comparison between a standard filter and the Goldstein filter, starting from the same flattened interferogram.
  • The coherence can be optimally estimated after the removal of the residual phase (for instance topographic residual fringes).
  • The new "Multi Baseline Calculation" function enables to obtain information about the baseline values of a multi-temporal SAR acquisitions series. The baseline values for all possible interferometric pair combinations are calculated in one step.
  • Several processing routines have been upgraded in order to exploit the computing resources of multi-core PCs.
  • A new Test Data set is available, which contains one ascending and one descending pairs spanning the April 2009 earthquake in the Abruzzi region (Italy).

Persistent Scatterers Module

  • The algorithm has been improved and made more stable.
  • New parameters have been introduced to optimize/tune the processing depending on both the input data characteristics and the displacement trend/magnitude.
  • The processing of large data sets, as well as the processing time, is better handled by properly setting the number of looks in Azimuth and Range.
  • More information are provided in the output products (e.g. Line of sight orientation, Total displacement, Displacement history, etc.).
  • The product analysis tools have been improved by integrating ENVI graphic functionalities.

Tools

  • The kml file (Google Earth visualization) can be generated also for vector files in shp format.
  • The "DEM Validation" new function was added to the "Quality Analysis" tools. It is aimed at comparing the quality of a Digital Elevation Model against existing reference products (e.g. Reference DEMs, GPS points, etc.).
  • A new HTTP transfer protocol has been implemented in order to support the download of the version 2 SRTM-3 products.