Oil Platforms as SAR calibration Targets in C and L bands

An analysis results of the PALSAR and Sentinel-1A time series of observations of oil platforms located in southern part of Caspian Sea are presented. The radar cross-section (RCS) level and RCS variations of about 200 oil platforms in "Oil Stones" oil production area were measured over 4 years interval in L-band and over 2.5 years interval in C-band. It was discovered that the platforms seem to be more stable scatterers in L-band having systematically higher radar cross-section than in C-band. The analysis results confirm the idea that the platforms may be treated as an acceptable calibration targets for the monitoring of spaceborne SAR systems radiometric stability.