Side-looking Airborne Radar

APPLICATION

  • Far-range detection of marine pollution
  • Basic imaging sensor for
    airborne maritime pollution surveillance
  • All-weather capability
  • Robust & lightweight
  • Real-time processing

 

Active radar remote sensing of marine pollution
using Side-looking Airborne Radar (SLAR)

Far-range detection of oil spills is usually performed by Side-looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) which is a cloud-penetrating X-band radar technique of real aperture type. At an aircraft altitude of about 300 metres SLAR systems usually have a cross-track coverage between 60 and 80 kilometers. Oil spill detection using airborne radar is generally based on the principle that oil spills as well as biogenic surface films (even monomolecular films) and hydrodynamic effects may reduce the radar backscatter due to dampening of the gravity-capillary waves of the sea surface.

OPTIMARE has integrated different types of SLAR systems into the MEDUSA maritime surveillance system during the last 15 years. The latest MEDUSA version features support of the latest SLAR system by TERMA A/S.

Information on different SLAR systems in conjunction with OPTIMARE’s MEDUSA maritime surveillance system are available on request.

 

Left: Wide-swath coverage using Side-looking Airborne Radar (SLAR)
Right: SLAR image overlaid with infrared line scanner data.