On the statistics of polarimetric synthesized images

Presents selected results of a study on the statistical properties (to the first order) of the polarimetric radar signal, when it is represented in a vector basis other than the (H,V) basis (polarimetric synthesis). The concept of polarimetric texture signature is introduced, which is a convenient tool to represent in condensed form the statistical properties of the synthesized backscattered power. Experimental results are then reported, where the authors observe a modulation of the second normalized moment at different polarization configurations. In order to explain some of the trends in the polarimetric texture, they resort to a Monte Carlo simulation. Also some considerations are made on the closed form PDF of the intensity of the cross-polarized channel, when the covariance matrix is transformed by the polarization synthesis. Finally the authors hint to an on-going investigation based on texture modeling, to verify the statistical behavior of the underlying radar reflectivity in a depolarizing random target.