Spaceborne radar sounders are an important class of remote sensing instruments which operate by recording backscattered electromagnetic waves in the vicinity of a solid planetary body. The incoming waves are generally transmitted by the radar itself (active sounding), although external signals of opportunity can also be used (passive sounding). There are currently two major planetary radar sounders under development, both headed to the Jovian icy moons (Europa, Ganymede and Callisto). Designing a radar sounder is a very challenging process involving careful leveraging of heritage and predictive tools, and in which backscattering simulators play a central role. This is especially true for coherent simulators, due to their higher accuracy and the possibility they offer to apply advanced processing techniques on the resulting simulated data, such as synthetic aperture radar focusing, or any other operation which requires field amplitude, phase and polarisation. For this reason, designing computationally-efficient coherent simulators is an important and active research area. The first contribution of this thesis is a novel multilayer coherent simulator based on the Stratton-Chu equation and the linear phase approximation, which can generate realistic simulated radar data on a wide range of surface and subsurface digital elevation models (DEM), using only a fraction of the computational resources that a finite-difference time-domain method would need. Thorough validation was conducted against both theoretical formulations and real data, which confirmed the accuracy of the method. The method was then generalised to noisy active and passive sounding, which is an important capability in the context of the proposed use of passive sounding on the Jovian icy moons. Provided that representative information about the surface and this external field exists, the simulator could compare the relative scientific value of active and passive sounding of a given target under given conditions. However, quality DEMs of the Jovian icy moons are scarce. For this reason we also present a comparative study of the fractal roughness of Europa and Mars (a much better studied body), where we derive fractal analogue maps of twelve types of Europan terrains on Mars. These maps could be used to guide the choice of Martian DEMs on which to perform representative backscattering simulations for future radar missions on Europa. Finally, we explore the possibility of entirely new radar architectures with the novel concept of the distributed radar. In a distributed sounder, very large across-track antennas can be synthesised from smallsats flying on selected orbits, providing a way to obtain a highly-directive antenna without the need to deploy large and complex structures in space. We develop an analytical formulation to treat the problem of beamforming with an array affected by perturbations on the positions of its array elements, and propose a set of Keplerian parameters that enable the concept.

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Carbon monoxide (CO) is present in the troposphere as a product of fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning and the oxidation of volatile hydrocarbons. It is the principal sink of the hydroxyl radical (OH), thereby affecting the concentrations of greenhouse gases such as CH4 and O3. Consequently, CO has an atmospheric lifetime of 1-3 months, making it a good tracer for studying the long range transport of pollution. Satellite observations present a valuable tool to investigate tropospheric CO. The Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS), onboard the Aqua satellite, is sensitive to tropospheric CO in ~50 of its 2378 channels. This sensitivity to CO, combined with the daily global coverage provided by AIRS, makes AIRS a potentially useful instrument for observing CO sources and transport. An optimal estimation retrieval scheme has been developed for AIRS, to provide CO profiles from near-surface altitudes to 150 hPa. Through a validation study, using CO profiles from in-situ aircraft measurements, this retrieval scheme has been shown to provide CO observations with strong correlations to in situ measurements. Compared to the operational AIRS v4 CO product this retrieval scheme is shown to provide total column CO retrievals with a reduced bias relative to the in situ measurements (~ -10% to ~ -1%). In addition, the optimal estimation retrieval is shown to provide improved estimation and characterization of the retrieval errors. Further validation work has been carried out through comparison with the established CO observations from the MOPITT instrument, onboard the Terra satellite. Good agreement (correlation coefficient > 0.9, and bias < 1.0 ppbv) between the instruments is observed in the mid-troposphere. At this level, the optimal estimation scheme is shown to remove a positive bias of ~10 ppbv, relative to MOPITT, that is present in the AIRS v4 CO product. The AIRS instrument is also shown to be less sensitive to CO in the lower troposphere than MOPITT. AIRS is also demonstrated to provide fewer pieces of independent information about the vertical structure of CO at tropical latitudes, where higher thermal contrast increases the sensitivity of MOPITT. Through time series analysis, the capability of AIRS to detect seasonal trends in CO is demonstrated. The potential of AIRS to be used to track, both horizontal and vertical, CO transport is explored. AIRS is shown to be capable of tracking horizontal transport, and to have potential to track vertical transport when combined with another satellite sensor.

From a HF propagation point of view, the ionospheric layers act as partially conducting media (plasma) in which a transmitted radio wave can reflect upon.A way of determining whether a radio wave with a given frequency will reflect from the ionosphere or completely penetrate is to utilize special radar instruments know as ionosondes or chirp sounders. The technique is widely used by amateur enthusiasts and military radio users for monitoring available radio channel links between two remote locations and can often serve as a base for HF radio prognoses.The objective of this Bachelor’s Thesis was to explore, implement and test a single channel receiver for monitoring ionospheric sounders. The implementation is based on Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology and relies on the GNU Chirp Sounder (gcs) open source script program.

Underwater static targets are objects under the water that can¡¦t move autonomously. Apparatus feasible for detecting underwater static targets includes: optics, acoustics and geophysical instruments. The purpose of this research is discussing the efficiency of applying side-scan sonar, magnetometer, sub-bottom profiler and echo sounder simultaneously to search, detect, identify and locate underwater static targets. Procedures of this research include: 1. Discussing the capabilities of instruments and identification principles on target. 2. Using a real case to groundtruth target identification principles. 3. Assessing the superiority of the methodology. According to the characteristics of these apparatus, the water depth, collected by echo sounder, is capable of expressing the relief of the seabed. Seabed sonographs, recorded by side-scan sonar, show that it is feasible to detect, identify and locate targets on the seabed. Sub-bottom profiler provides the sub-surface sedimentary information which can be used to detect buried targets. Magnetometer can detect environmental magnetic intensities, which can locate and determine the size of ferrous targets. Analysis of the data collected at Hai-K&#x00F6;u Wan, Ping-Dong County yields following conclusions: 1. The water depth data, recorded per 15 meters by the echo sounder, is capable of detecting large targets and concentrated artificial reefs only. 2. Sonographs obtained by side-scan sonar show target¡¦s characteristics and location on seabed. It can be utilized to identifying targets and mapping targets distributions. 3. Sub-bottom profile graphs show the composition and thickness of sub-surface sediments. 4. Magnetic anomalies show that there are evident variations around the battle-ship reef or concentrated electric-pole reefs on the research area. It represents that the magnetometer is capable in detecting underwater ferrous targets. 5. Targets detecting rate and identifying accuracy can be increased by the mutual comparison of various information. By applying the technique established in this research and the survey results at Hai-K&#x00F6;u Wan, targets at the survey site can be identified and located precisely. There are about 1100 units of 2-m concrete reefs, 670 units of electric-pole reefs and a battle-ship reef at Hai-K&#x00F6;u Wan. It can be concluded that, applying echo-sounder, side-scan sonar system, sub-bottom profiler and magnetometer simultaneously can search, detect, identify and locate underwater static targets more effective than applying a single instrument such as side-scan sonar system.

Multi-beamecho sounder systemhas been around nowfor some 40 years and their use in shallow waters for the last 14 years. With modern shallow water systems running at up to 9,600 soundings/second, data collection at the rate of approximately 250 million soundings/day system is possible. Processing of Multibeam Echo sounder (MBES) data is a challenging task from both hydrographic and technological perspectives. We recognize that a completely automatic system is improbable, but propose that significant benefits can still be had if we can automatically process good quality data, and highlight areas that probably need further attention. We propose an algorithm that takes uncleaned MBES data and attempts to pick out outliers as possible as we can. The traditionalmethod that is still in use today by numerous software applications is based on a line-by-line processing approach. Automatically filtering for a depth window, by beam number, slope between points, quality flags and recently by whether the beam¡¦s error is outside the IHO order for the survey are a number of ways in which the line-by-line approach has been speeded up. The fundamental differences between our method and the previous methods are that our algorithm does not actually delete any soundings at all and transform original one dimension information into two dimensions. Finally, we use Hierarchical Clustering to classifyMBES data into outliers and normal. We develop the user interface formulti-beamecho sounder quality control. It provides almost the necessary tools and modules to perform a survey. Standard modules are Survey planning (track guidance lines, waypoints), channel design and 3D modeling, data acquisition, data QC and data processing/flagged. However, it will visualize the soundings to aid the decisionmaking process.

Radar sounders (RS) are low frequency remote sensing instruments that profile the shallow subsurface of planetary bodies providing valuable scientific information. The prediction of the RS performance and the interpretation of the target properties from the RS data are challenging due to the complex electromagnetic interaction between many acquisition variables. RS simulations address this issue by forward modeling this complex interaction and simulating the radar response. However, existing simulators require detailed and subjective modeling of the target in order to produce realistic radargrams. For less-explored planetary bodies, such information is difficult to obtain with high accuracy. Moreover, the high computational requirements of conventional electromagnetic simulators prohibit the simulation of a large number of radargrams. Thus, it is not possible to generate and analyze a database of simulated radargrams representative of the acquisition scenario that would be very useful for both the RS design and the data analysis phase. To overcome these difficulties and to produce realistic simulated radargrams, this thesis proposes two novel approaches to the simulation and analysis of the radar response. The first contribution is a simulation approach that leverages the data available over geological analogs of the investigated target and reprocesses them to obtain the simulated radargrams. The second contribution is a systematic approach to the generation and analysis of a database of simulated radargrams representing the possible scenarios during the RS acquisition. The database is analyzed to predict the RS performance, to design the instrument parameters, and to support the development of automatic target detection algorithms. To demonstrate the proposed techniques the thesis addresses their use in two future RS instruments, which are at different phases of development: (1) the Radar for Icy Moons Exploration (RIME) and (2) a RS for Earth observation of the polar ice caps. The first contribution focuses on the analysis of the detectability of complex tectonic targets on the icy moons of Jupiter by RIME by simulating the radar response of 3D target models. The second contribution presents a feasibility study for an Earth orbiting RS based on the proposed simulation approaches.

This Ph.D. thesis presents advancements in the analysis of radar sounder data. Radar sounders (RSs) are remote sensors that transmit an electromagnetic (EM) wave at the nadir direction that penetrates the subsurface. The backscattered echoes captured by the RS antenna are coherently summed to generate an image of the subsurface profile known as a radargram. The first focus of this work is to automate the segmentation of radargrams using deep learning methodologies while minimizing the need for labeled training data. The surge in radar sounding data volume necessitates efficient automated methods. However, the amount of training labeled data in this field is strongly limited. This first work introduces a transfer learning framework based on deep learning tailored for radar sounder data that minimizes the training data requirements. This method automatically identifies and segments geological units within radargrams acquired in the cryosphere. With the cryosphere being a critical indicator of climate change, understanding its dynamics is paramount. Geological details within radargrams, such as the basal interface or the inland and floating ice, are key to this understanding. Our work shifts the focus to uncharted territory: the coastal areas of Antarctica. Novel targets such as floating ice and crevasses add complexity to the data, but the transfer learning framework minimizes the need for extensive labeled training data. The results, based on data from Antarctica, confirm the effectiveness of the approach, promising adaptability to other targets and radar data from existing and future planetary missions like RIME and SRS. The second focus of this thesis explores the generation of novel and improved geological data products by harnessing the unique characteristics of radar sounder data, including subsurface information and so-called “unwanted” clutter. The thesis introduces two methods that use RS data to generate geological products. The first contribution proposes a global high-frequency radar image of Mars. This product delivers a novel, comprehensive global radar image of Mars, capturing both surface and shallow subsurface structures. The method unlocks the potential to explore concealed Martian geology and further understand Martian geological features like dust, revealing possible candidate large dust deposits that were unknown until now. Furthermore, this method can potentially offer insights into celestial bodies beyond Mars, such as the detection of new lunar facets and Venusian geological formations. The third contribution aims to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEM) from single swath radargrams. The activity addresses the challenge of precise bed DEM estimations in Antarctica. Bed topography is critical in ice modeling and mass balance calculations, yet existing methods face limitations. To overcome these, we employ a generative adversarial network (GAN) approach that utilizes clutter information from single radargrams. This innovative technique promises to refine bed DEMs and enhance our understanding of glacier erosion and ice dynamics. The proposed methodologies were validated with data acquired on both Earth and Mars, showing promising results and confirming their effectiveness.

Hydroakustiska mätningar har gjorts i nästan två hundra år. Det kan liknas med topografiska mätningar på land och visar hur sjö- eller havsbottnar ser ut. Idag används ekolod vilket är en teknik som skickar ut ljudvågor i vattnet för att mäta hur lång tid det tar för ljudet att studsa på bottnen och sedan komma upp till instrumentet igen. Därefter går det att räkna ut djupet med hjälp av ljudhastighetsberäkningar. Vid inmätning av enkelstråligt ekolod rekommenderas användande av tvärsektioner som kontroll av data. Flerstråligt ekolod behöver däremot inte tvärsektioner då övertäckning mellan stråken används som kontroll. I denna studie undersöks hur antalet tvärsektioner påverkar djupkartor skapade av Seafloor HydroLite TM enkelstråligt ekolod. Detta är även en undersökning av hur djupkartor producerade av SeaFloor HydroLite TM enkelstråligt ekolod skiljer sig mot djupkartor producerade av Kongsberg EM 2040 MK11 flerstråligt ekolod. Studieområdet är 1820 m2 och är beläget vid Forsbackas hamn i Storsjön, Gävle kommun. Vid inmätning av flerstråligt ekolod användes en övertäckning av lägst 50 %. Fem huvudstråk och sju tvärsektioner mättes med enkelstråligt ekolod för området. Djupkartor med olika antal tvärsektioner gjordes i Surfer 10 från enkelstråligt ekolod. Därefter jämfördes djupkartor av enkelstråligt ekolod mot kartor gjorda av data från flerstråligt ekolod för att se hur djupkartorna skiljer sig och för att se hur djupkartorna av enkelstråligt ekolod påverkas av olika antal tvärsektioner. Med användande av flerstråligt ekolod som referens mot djupkartor gjorda av enkelstråligt ekolod blev resultaten att RMS och standardosäkerhet minskar med 1 cm i RMS-värde och med 2 cm i standardosäkerhet. Jämförelse mellan ekolods systemen visar att skillnaden av djupvärderna är runt 10 cm. Slutsatserna från denna studie är att tvärsektioner endast förbättrar kvalitén på djupkartor marginellt vid jämn och enhetlig bottentopografi, men fyller en viktig funktion genom att kontrollera kvalitén av inmätningsdatat. Samt att SeaFloor HydroLite TM klarar av order 1b vid ett djup omkring en till fyra meter om ej kravet på full bottentäckning beaktas. Seafloor HydroLite TM skapar en översiktlig djupkarta medan djupmodellerna från Kongsberg EM 2040 MKII ser mera detaljer. / Hydroacoustic measurements have been conducted for almost two hundred years. It can be compared to topographic measurements on land and shows the appearance of lake or ocean floors. Today, echosounders are used, which is a technique that sends out sound waves into the water to measure the time it takes for the sound to bounce off the bottom and return to the instrument. Sound velocity calculations can then be used to calculate the depth. The use of cross-sections is recommended as a data control of single beam echosounder. However, multi beam echosounders only use overlap as control. This study examines how the number of cross-sections affects depth maps created by Seafloor HydroLite TM single beam echosounder. It also investigates the differences between depth maps produced by the SeaFloor HydroLite TM single beam echosounder and the Kongsberg EM 2040 MK11 multi beam echosounder. The study area covers 1820 m2 and is located at Forsbackas Harbor in Storsjön, Gävle municipality. A minimum overlap of 50% was used for the surveying with the multi beam echosounder. Five main lines and seven cross-sections were measured using the single beam echosounder. Depth maps with different numbers of cross-sections were created using data from the single beam echosounder. The maps from the single beam echosounder were compared to maps created from the data obtained by the multi beam echosounder to assess the differences and the impact of varying numbers of cross-sections on the depth maps from the single beam echosounder. By using the multi beam echosounder as a reference for the depth maps created by the single beam echosounder, the results showed a decrease of 1 cm in RMS value and 2 cm in standard deviation. The comparison between the echosounder systems revealed a difference of around 10 cm in depth values. The conclusions from this study are that cross-sections only marginally improve the quality of depth maps in cases of even and uniform bottom topography but serve an important function in validating the quality of the survey data. Additionally, the SeaFloor HydroLite TM is capable of meeting Order 1b at depths ranging from one to four meters if the requirement for full bottom coverage is not considered. The Seafloor HydroLite TM creates a general overview of the depth map, while the depth models from the Kongsberg EM 2040 MKII provide more detailed information.

Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / Optical turbulence plays an important role in the propagation of electromagnetic waves through the atmosphere because it broadens and distorts the optical beam. A variety of optical, thermal, and acoustic instruments are used to detect the atmospheric turbulence and an acoustic echosounder has proven to be a valuable tool to probe the fine dynamic structure of atmospheric turbulence within first hundred meters above the surface. The first planar acoustic echosounder constructed at the Naval Postgraduate School was by Weingartner and Wroblewski, under Walters' supervision. Moxcey later modified this design by reducing the number of drivers from 25 to 19 and placing the drivers closer together into a hexagonal, close-packed array. This thesis explored the potential sources of the transducer ringing and implemented solutions to the problem. Additionally, we also improved the receiving sensitivity of the echosounder and lowered the electronics noise when receiving. Finally, we applied these techniques to another array assembled with new drivers to improve its performance compared to the previous echosounder array, while measuring and quantifying the level of improvement achieved. / Lieutenant Commander, Republic of China Navy