Interferometric model order selection: validation of ITC methods with airborne three-antenna SAR data

Interest is continuing to grow in exploiting the multibaseline operation of SAR interferometry to separate multiple layover scatterers in a same resolution cell. In this framework an important issue is the estimation of the number of backscatter signal components, the interferometric model order. In this work we report about experiments of order selection with the dual-baseline single-pass SAR interferometer AER-II. Eigenvalues-based information theoretic criteria (ITC) methods are applied to process the three-antenna non uniform array data. Order selection performance and the benefit from diagonal loading are discussed for a bridge over the valley test site.