This diploma thesis deals with the algorithms for signal processing in a field of a low-coherence interferometry. The introductory part is devoted to the basic principle of the low-coherence interferometry and to presenting its field of applications. The second part contains a list of selected algorithms supplemented by a description of their functionality. The procedure of experimental measurement of known surface with Michelson interferometer is described in the third part and the results obtained for particular algorithms are presented. Finally, algorithms are compared on the basis of measurement results.

Space-borne radar interferometry provides a global vantage point to understand climate change, global weather phenomenon, and other Earth dynamics. For climate change observations, space-borne interferometers can be utilized to relate ocean topography to temperature, thus providing a global map of ocean temperatures. Since the oceans are in constant motion, a single-pass interferometer is needed to successfully make these measurements of ocean height. The feasibility of a single-pass measurement is dependent on the physical size of the instrument, hence it is cheaper and more practical to launch a small, light weight instrument into space. Since instrument size scales inversely with operating frequency, high frequency microwave technology (Ku-band and Ka-band) is preferred for these types of applications. However, space-borne deployments become more difficult to implement at these frequencies since the physical structure of the instrument changes in the harsh environment of space. For that reason, a ground-based Ku-band (13.245GHz) radar interferometer has been developed at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Microwave Remote Sensing Laboratory (MIRSL). In this thesis, a description of the radar hardware as well as interferometric results from Mount Sugarloaf provide a measure of the performance of the radar and demonstrate the capabilities of using a ground-based interferometer as a test-bed for space-borne applications.

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