Effect of Faraday rotation on L-band interferometric and polarimetric synthetic-aperture radar data
Abstract
Electromagnetic waves traveling through the ionosphere undergo a Faraday rotation of the polarization vector, which modifies the polarization and phase characteristics of the electromagnetic signal. Using L-band, polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, the effect of a change in the Faraday rotation angle ψ on spaceborne interferometric and polarimetric data is simulated. Results show that the Faraday rotation should not affect the analysis of L-band spaceborne data during periods of low ionospheric activity. Yet during ionospheric storms or near solar maxima, the effects should become significant and impair data analysis.
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