The most recent lecture was held March 15, 2007 at the Holiday Inn, Fairborn, Ohio Seminar Title: Coherent Synthetic Aperture Radar Exploitation
Lecturer: Mr. Richard Carande, Neva Ridge Technologies, Boulder, CO Abstract: Among remote sensing instruments, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is unique in its ability to readily obtain coherent image products. SAR interferometry, originally demonstrated in the 1970’s from an army airborne system, has evolved considerably. The initial application was to estimate the angle-of-arrival of backscatter power from a pixel on the ground by comparing the phase difference of the backscattered wave as measured at two different locations. This information along with the traditional range and azimuth (Doppler) information allowed one to locate the imaged pixel in three-dimensions, and hence estimate the elevation of that pixel. Elevation-mapping interferometric SAR systems have since become an import remote sensing technology, with a very specific height-mapping mission. Various commercial interferometric SAR systems now routinely gather high-resolution elevation data for their customers. In 2000, NIMA (now NGA) funded modifications to, and operations of, a NASA shuttle-based two-enna system (SRTM) to map the entire earth’s landmass (within +/- 60 degrees latitude) at DTED-2 accuracy. During the 1990’s a different type of coherent SAR application was demonstrated: the detection and measurement of very small changes in the earth’s surface. The simplest form of this technology, known as coherent change detection (CCD), had obvious military and intelligence applications, and is now a valuable tool for analysts. A more sophisticated technique called differential interferometric SAR is focused on quitatively measuring the surface change. Many scientific applications such as measuring ground motion due to earthquakes, volcanoes and fault motion have been demonstrated at the centimeter sensitivity level. Civil applications for monitoring ground subsidence, such as subsidence due to fluid withdrawal, continue to be a growing commercial field. In the past decade, attention has been directed at using multiple coherent SAR collections to make even more sensitive measurements. Today multiple coherent observations of the earth’s surface allow remote sensing to reveal ground motion rates as small as 1 millimeter per year. Furthermore, the new techniques address many of the limiting factors associated with SAR interferometry, such as atmospheric induced distortions. There are obvious defense applications to these technologies. However, the defense community has not completely embraced these applications for a number of reasons. These include complicated operator learning curves, lack of robust and easy-to-use software, added complexity of data collection plans, limited data, and limited specific defense related demonstrations. The focus of this talk will be to describe the capabilities of interferometric SAR systems, and the cutting edge techniques that are being demonstrated around the world today. The value of this technology to the warfighter and intelligence analyst will be discussed; as will the signific steps, which must be undertaken to make this a routine capability within the defense and intelligence community. Biography: Mr. Richard Carande is the President and founding member of Neva Ridge Technologies. He has over twenty years of experience in various SAR technologies, with emphasis on SAR processing and Interferometric SAR Processing. Mr. Carande began his career in Southern California in 1983 at a small company where he designed and built an optical SAR processor as well as a digital SAR processor for SEASAT, SIR-A and SIR-B SAR processing. Between 1986 and 1995, he worked in the Radar Science and Engineering section at JPL in Pasadena CA. There he was responsible for designing the SAR processing algorithm for the custom hardware Alaska SAR Processor at the Alaska SAR Facility (ASF in Fairbanks AK). The processor at ASF processed ERS, J-ERS and RADARSAT data. Mr. Carande was also Group Leader for the 3-frequency, fully polarimetric AIRSAR processing efforts at JPL. He contributed to the development of interferometric technologies and processing algorithms for various experimental interferometric SAR systems at the Lab. Much of this technology was done in partnership with the US Government, and has been commercialized by the various radar mapping companies such as Intermap Technologies and EarthData. In 1995 Mr. Carande joined Vexcel Corporation in Boulder Colorado as director of Radar Programs, and then Vice President of Engineering. At Vexcel, Mr. Carande managed the Advanced Radar Technologies division and oversaw radar R&D efforts underway at the company. He left Vexcel in May 2005 to start Neva Ridge Technologies.

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