ROBUST PHASE-UNWRAPPING TECHNIQUES - A COMPARISON

In this paper we demonstrate the theoretical equivalence of two robust techniques for two-dimensional phase unwrapping. The first is based o n the least-squares (LS) approach, and the second is based on Green's formulation. To be theoretically comparable with Green's method, the L S phase unwrapping is formulated in the continuous domain, leading to the minimization of a specific functional. Subsequently, we investigat e the computational requirements of the procedures implementing the tw o methods. To do this, we have modified the first Green's identity-bas ed algorithm to account for periodic phase patterns. This reformulatio n allows us to compare the existing efficient LS procedures and leads to a procedure whose memory and computational requirements are less st ringent than those presented in Fornaro et al. [IEEE Trans. Geosci. Re mote Sens. 34, 720 (1996)]. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America.