On the extension of multidimensional speckle noise model from single-look to multilook SAR imagery

Speckle noise represents one of the major problems when synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data are considered. Despite the fact that speckle is caused by the scattering process itself, it must be considered as a noise source due to the complexity of the scattering process. The presence of speckle makes data interpretation difficult, but it also affects the quantitative retrieval of physical parameters. In the case of one-dimensional SAR systems, speckle is completely determined by a multiplicative noise component. Nevertheless, for multidimensional SAR systems, speckle results from the combination of multiplicative and additive noise components. This model has been first developed for single-look data. The objective of this paper is to extend the single-look data model to define a multilook multidimensional speckle noise model. The asymptotic analysis of this extension, for a large number of averaged samples, is also considered to assess the model properties. Details and validation of the multilook multidimensional speckle noise model are provided both theoretically and by means of experimental SAR data acquired by the experimental synthetic aperture radar system, operated by the German Aerospace Center.