Introduction to Radar Remote Sensing

Learn radar remote sensing from fundamental physics to planetary applications

As imaging radar satellites proliferate and applications expand from geophysical exploration to disaster mitigation, engineers and scientists need rigorous grounding in radar fundamentals. Introduction to Radar Remote Sensing delivers theory and practice from first principles, written by a National Academy of Engineering member who has contributed to NASA missions including NISAR, Voyager, and Cassini.

Starting with historical context, this book progresses through electromagnetic theory and radar modalities to modern imaging systems and their applications. These span Earth and planetary ocean, atmosphere, and solid Earth geophysics such as topographic mapping and surface deformation and change. The author derives all relations from original physical principles, making the material applicable beyond radar to any Earth observation system.

The book includes:

• Comprehensive treatment of fundamental radar developments showing how each affects system performance across diverse environmental and planetary applications
• Environmental remote sensing techniques, for example tracking wave height and direction, atmospheric pollutants, and solid Earth geophysical phenomena
• Physical derivations from first principles enabling application of concepts to new observational systems beyond traditional radar configurations
• Coverage of the expanding international radar satellite constellation including the recently launched NASA NISAR mission and emerging applications
• Well-tested homework problems and solutions refined through twenty-five years of graduate-level instruction at Stanford University

Designed for graduate and senior undergraduate students in engineering programs, this book serves as the primary text for introductory remote sensing courses. Researchers transitioning into radar applications will find the physics-based approach provides the foundation needed to develop novel observational techniques and systems.