Generation of large-scale digital elevation models via synthetic aperture radar interferometry

We investigate the possibility to generate a large-scale Digital Elevation Model by applying the Synthetic Aperture Radar interferometry technique and using tandem data, acquired by the ERS-1/ERS-2 sensors. The presented stud y is mainly focused on the phase unwrapping step that represents the most c ritical point of the overall processing chain. In particular, rye concentra te on the unwrapping problems related to the use of a large ERS tandem data set that, in order to be unwrapped, must be partitioned. The paper discuss es the inclusion of external information (even rough) of the scene topograp hy, the application of a region growing unwrapping technique and the insert ion of possible constraints on the phase to be retrieved in order to minimi ze the global unwrapping errors. Our goal is the generation of a digital el evation model relative to an area of 300 km by 100 km located in the southe rn part of Italy. Comparisons between the achieved result and a precise dig ital terrain model, relative to a smaller area, are also included.