Automatic subsurface unexploded ordnance detection using a wideband full-polarization ground penetrating radar and entropy-based polarimetric signatures

An automatic buried unexploded ordnance (UXO) classification methodology based on the H-alpha entropy-based polarimetric features extracted from wideband (50-600 MHz) fully polarimetric ground penetrating radar (GPR) data is presented. This method first established a background H-alpha feature of the whole test site for determining the classification boundary of random and isotropic scatters. Then UXO-like elongated targets are detected by the presence of sufficient H-alpha feature appearing in the linear scattering classification zone. The detail processing and detection procedure will be discussed. The performance of the proposed UXO classifier will be evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve based actual field data collected at the US government Fort Ord UXO test site setup for evaluating different UXO detection technologies.

Automated summary

This paper presents an automatic buried unexploded ordnance (UXO) classification methodology based on H-alpha entropy-based polarimetric features extracted from wideband fully polarimetric ground penetrating radar data. The method establishes a background H-alpha feature to determine the classification boundary of random and isotropic scatters, and detects UXO-like elongated targets through the presence of sufficient H-alpha feature in the linear scattering classification zone. The performance of the proposed UXO classifier is evaluated using actual field data collected at the US government Fort Ord UXO test site.