Alaska Satellite FacilitySAR Training Processor Version History

SAR Training Processor (STP) 1.1.10Released 2009 January 9

  • Enable the window to be sized smaller than it's startup dimensions.
  • Remove spurious warnings when ASF View is started from the STP interface.
  • Use PNGs instead of JPEGs as the intermediate image files.
  • Improved portability by no longer relying on the Cygwin library in the Win32 distribution.

SAR Training Processor (STP) 1.1.6Released 2008 July 23

  • Streamlined the way STP generates the JPEG intermediate images, so STP should run faster & use less memory.
  • Vertically shrunk the GUI, so that the "Execute" button is not off the bottom of the screen in 1024x768.
  • Fixed spurious "Invalid UTF8 string" warning.
  • Added a button to view the debug images with ASF View.
  • Added processing updates. The Step currently being executed is red, and completed steps (where the debug images can be viewed) are bolded.
  • Added the import functionality from MapReady to STP, so that a user may choose a Level 0 .raw file, or an STF .000 file directly in STP (without having to run MapReady first).
  • Added an "Abort" button to halt processing.
  • Added a "Clear" button, to remove intermediate files and the generated debug JPEGs.
  • Upgraded the installer for better integration with MapReady
  • Improved build system for source builds

SAR Training Processor (STP) 1.0.13Initial release: 2006 October 30

The Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) has developed a SAR Training Processor (STP). This program is a synthetic aperture radar (SAR)processor integrated with a graphical user interface (GUI) and is built for use in the ASF SAR training courses. The STP assists users who are either new to SAR or who want a more in-depth knowledge of SAR processing to learn what happens when a raw SAR image is processed from Level 0 raw data to a Level 1 image via the range-Doppler technique. The STP has built-in hooks that allow images to be written at each processing stage, giving the user an insider's view of intermediate steps in the process. The GUI allows the user to choose important parameters as well as which SAR processing steps to perform in order to see the affects of each. It explains each step and displays the imagery produced. With this capability at their fingertips, users are able to better understand the significance of each step in the range-Doppler SAR processing technique.

About Software Tools

The Alaska Satellite Facility develops and enhances software in order to simplify the use of SAR data for our community of researchers and operational agencies.

System Requirements

CPU: 1GHz or greater

Memory: 1 GB or more

Disk space: 100MB for installation. For processing please allow roughly 5 times the size of the largest image to be processed.

Convert to Vector: This program is small and should easily run on any computer running a pentium chip or greater.

Other Software Tools

This is a list of links to software developed by agencies outside of ASF that may be of use.

Free/Open Source Tools

ROI_PAC - The Repeat Orbit Interferometry PACkage is used to process synthetic aperture radar data and produce differential interferograms. The package is managed by researchers at JPL and Caltech in conjunction with members of the scientific community.

RAT - Radar Tools (or RAT)is a powerful open-source software tool for processing SAR remote sensing data.

BEAM - BEAM is a toolbox for viewing, analyzing and processing of remote sensing data.

PolSARPro - The Polarimetric SAR Data Processing and Educational Tool aims to facilitate the accessibility and exploitation of multi-polarized SAR datasets.

GeoSage's HighView - HighView is the unique image fusion tool for both advanced image-pansharpening and adaptive image stretching.

ERDAS ER Viewer - The ERDAS ER Viewer is an easy-to-use image viewer featuring interactive roaming and zooming with very large JPEG 2000 and ECW files.

ERDAS ViewFinder - ERDAS ViewFinder is a viewer for quickly displaying a variety of geographic imagery (including 16-bit data), rapidly reprojecting different data types into the same projection system, displaying multiple images in a single viewer, and working in multiple open viewers, at the same time.

ExpressView Browser Plug-in (MrSID) - ExpressView Browser Plug-in (formerly MrSID Browser Plug-in) gives standard Windows Web browsers the ability to natively view MrSID and JPEG2000 images.

Geomatica FreeView - Geomatica FreeView is a flexible data viewing tool supporting over 100 raster and vector formats for loading, viewing, selection, and enhancement.

Commercial Tools

Geomatica - Geomatica is a single, integrated software system for remote sensing and image processing.

GAMMA - The GAMMA SAR and Interferometry Software is a collection of programs that allows processing of SAR, interferometric SAR (InSAR) and differential interferometric SAR (DInSAR) data for airborne and spaceborne SAR systems.

ENVI - ENVI provides advanced, user-friendly tools to read, explore, prepare, analyze and share information extracted from all types of imagery.

ERDAS IMAGINE - ERDAS IMAGINE performs advanced remote sensing analysis and spatial modeling to create new information.