Sigma-SAR

Sigma-SAR is a comprehensive end-to-end software suite for processing and analyzing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data, covering workflows from SAR image generation to advanced interferometric, time-series, and higher-level analysis products.

Sigma-SAR provides extensive SAR processing capabilities. For selected SAR missions, processing can start from Level 1.0 data, including SAR image formation, while data from many supported sensors can be processed from Level 1.1 products through advanced higher-level products. Capabilities include SAR image generation, interferometric SAR (InSAR) processing, time-series analysis, change detection, polarimetric analysis, and calibration and validation.

Sigma-SAR supports a wide range of SAR satellite missions, including JERS-1, ALOS/PALSAR, ALOS-2/PALSAR-2, ALOS-4/PALSAR-3, TerraSAR-X, COSMO-SkyMed, RADARSAT-2, SAOCOM, ICEYE, Capella, Umbra, QPS-SAR, Synspective StriX, and ASNARO-2. This broad multi-mission capability enables users to analyze both historical and current SAR observations within a common processing environment.

Advanced time-series analysis is a key capability of Sigma-SAR. SAR data acquired repeatedly over long periods within the same observation frame can be analyzed to characterize temporal changes. Time-series InSAR enables users to detect long-term surface deformation and estimate cumulative displacement over the observation period. In addition, amplitude time-series analysis tracks temporal variations in SAR backscatter, enabling the detection and characterization of significant changes in land surface conditions, infrastructure, and other targets.

Applications include monitoring of ground subsidence, landslides, infrastructure and surface deformation, land-use and environmental change, and natural disasters. The combination of interferometric and amplitude time-series analysis enables users to investigate both subtle surface displacement and broader temporal changes from long-term SAR observations.

Sigma-SAR processing technology has a long heritage in Japanese SAR missions. Sigma-SAR was used in JAXA's operational processing of JERS-1 and ALOS/PALSAR data and has also been used to generate research data products for ALOS-2/PALSAR-2. This heritage provides a proven technical foundation for reliable and high-precision SAR processing.

Sigma-SAR is developed by Dr. Masanobu Shimada, IEEE Fellow, a SAR specialist with decades of experience in spaceborne SAR processing, calibration, validation, and applications.

Running Sigma-SAR on AWS enables researchers, engineers, government organizations, and commercial users to perform computationally intensive SAR processing without maintaining a dedicated local processing environment.