Academic literature on the topic 'Radar – Military applications – Evaluation'

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 28-31, 1985 / Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada<br>Military aerospace test ranges are increasingly being called upon to conduct missions utilizing large numbers of participating units, or targets. Precision, position and trajectory data must be recorded on all participants. In addition, weapon/target engagements must be scored and real-time range safety considerations must be accommodated. This requires precision metric data be available in real-time on all participating targets. One solution to these problems, is utilization of multiple target tracking radars which incorporate electronic beam steering to quickly move from one target to another in sequence. This paper briefly recounts the history of range instrumentation radars, points out some of the advantages of using multi-target radars, and highlights the specifications and design of a multiple target instrumentation radar now being acquired by the U.S. Army for use at White Sands Missile Range and the Kwajalein Missile Range.

Radar sensors has been known for their usage in military applications but during the last decade commercial radar sensors have been implemented for usage in for example advanced driver-assistance system. One common implementation for advanced driver-assistance system is the adaptive cruise control technology implemented in vehicles to help it adapt the velocity based on the distance to a detected vehicle in front. The development of the commercial radar sensors have made radar sensors cheaper and more accessible. The goal of this thesis is to investigate the civil market to see if there are any radar sensors available that could be of interest to use for applications in proximity fuzes. A proximity fuze can be used in projectiles to initiates its explosion when the projectile is positioned an optimal distance from the target where the distance can be estimated by using a radar system. Investigation of the civil market was made by performing a literature study by looking into articles about civil use applications for frequency modulated continuous wave radars and pulsed Doppler radars operating with a frequency in the GHz-area. In the literature study, five interesting frequencies were identified for the frequency modulated continuous wave radar: 24 GHz, 35 GHz, 77 GHz, 94 GHz and 122 GHz. For each article different properties regarding the sensors’ performance was investigated. Example of a few of the properties investigated was the sensor’s limitation of maximum range, angle and velocity. Based on the literature study’s result a 77 GHz radar sensor included in an evaluation kit was ordered and used to perform a proof-of-concept where the radar sensor’s performance was evaluated. The proof-of-concept was made by analyzing if the radar sensor could detect a drone at distances between 5 m and 20 m at rest or moving with a velocity of approximately 3 m/s. Two scenarios were tested for the drone and the sensor. In the first scenario, possible background clutter was eliminated while the second scenario included some background clutter. The sensor was able to detect the drone at all positions when moving or at rest, but for the second scenario there were some difficulties to get a clear detection of the target at 10 m and 20 m distance. Distance and angle measurements were performed on a metal plate having a larger radar cross section than the drone. The evaluation kit was able to detect the object at distances between 5 m and 20 m and when the object was placed 10 m away from the sensor in both x- and y-direction i.e. 45 ° from the sensor. From these results it could be concluded that radar sensors used for automotive applications has potential to be used for proximity fuze applications but further tests have to be made before a definitive conclusion can be made. The sensor has to be tested for higher velocities than 500 m/s and for larger distances to be able to determine if this type of sensor could be applied in proximity fuzes.<br>Radarsensorer har länge använts inom militära applikationer men har på senare tid introducerats på den civila marknaden i form av exempelvis adaptiva farthållare i fordon. Radarsensorn hjälper fordonet att detektera avståndet till fordonet framför samt medför att den kan korrigera hastigheten för att hålla ett säkert avstånd och minska risken för olyckor. Utvecklingen inom den civila marknaden har lett till att radarsensorer idag är både billiga och lättillgängliga. Syftet med detta examensarbete har varit att undersöka den civila marknaden för att se om det finns någon tillgänglig radarsensor som skulle kunna användas för applikationer i zonrör. Marknaden genomsöktes genom att genomföra en litteraturstudie där artiklar innehållande information om frekvensmodulerade kontinuerlig våg radar och pulsad Doppler radar som opererar med en frekvens i GHz-området studerades. Faktorer och egenskaper som tillgänglighet, räckvidd och spridningsvinkel var några av de egenskaper som analyserades. I denna studie hittades fem intressanta frekvenser för frekvensmodulerad kontinuerlig våg radar som används inom olika applikationer på den civila marknaden, 24 GHz, 35 GHz, 77 GHz, 94 GHz och 122 GHz. Baserat på litteraturstudiens resultat beslutades att en 77 GHz radarsensor skulle utvärderas genom fysiska tester för att utvärdera radarsensorns prestanda. Först undersöktes om radarsensorn kunde detektera en drönare på avstånd upp till 20 m i en miljö med eller utan störningar i omgivningen. Tester genomfördes för drönaren när den befann sig i vila eller i rörelse med en hastighet på ungefär 3 m/s. Radarsensorn lyckades detektera testobjektet under samtliga avstånd, hastigheter och miljöer men hade vissa svårigheter att få en tydlig detektering av objektet i miljön innehållande bakgrundsstörningar. Tester genomfördes också på en metallplatta med större radarmålarea än drönaren. Radarsensorn lyckades detektera testobjektet på ett avstånd upp till 20 m och när objektet befann sig 10 m från sensorn i både x- och y-riktning d.v.s. 45 ° från utvärderingsmodulen. Utifrån dessa resultat framkom det att radarsensorer utformade för autonoma applikationer har potential att användas i zonrörs-tillämpningar men att vidare tester för längre avstånd och högre hastigheter måste genomföras innan en slutgiltig slutsats kan dras.

The main objective of this thesis is to present a new image processing technique to improve the detectability of buried objects such as landmines using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). The main challenge of GPR based landmine detection is to have an accurate image analysis method that is capable of reducing false alarms. However an accurate image relies on having sufficient spatial resolution in the received signal. An Antipersonnel mine (APM) can have a diameter as little as 2cm, whereas many soils have very high attenuation at frequencies above 450 MHz. In order to solve the detection problem, a system level analysis of the issues involved with the recognition of landmines using image reconstruction is required. The thesis illustrates the development of a novel technique called the SIMCA (“SIMulated Correlation Algorithm”) based on area or volume correlation between the trace that would be returned by an ideal point reflector in the soil conditions at the site (obtained using the realistic simulation of Maxwell’s equations) and the actual trace. During an initialization phase, SIMCA carries out radar simulation using the system parameters of the radar and the soil properties. Then SIMCA takes the raw data as the radar is scanned over the ground and uses a clutter removal technique to remove various unwanted signals of clutter such as cross talk, initial ground reflection and antenna ringing. The trace which would be returned by a target under these conditions is then used to form a correlation kernel using a GPR simulator. The 2D GPR scan (B scan), formed by abutting successive time-amplitude plots taken from different spatial positions as column vectors,is then correlated with the kernel using the Pearson correlation coefficient resulting in a correlated image which is brightest at points most similar to the canonical target. This image is then raised to an odd power >2 to enhance the target/background separation. The first part of the thesis presents a 2-dimensional technique using the B scans which have been produced as a result of correlating the clutter removed radargram (’B scan’) with the kernel produced from the simulation. In order to validate the SIMCA 2D algorithm, qualitative evidence was used where comparison was made between the B scans produced by the SIMCA algorithm with B scans from some other techniques which are the best alternative systems reported in the open literature. It was found from this that the SIMCA algorithm clearly produces clearer B scans in comparison to the other techniques. Next quantitative evidence was used to validate the SIMCA algorithm and demonstrate that it produced clear images. Two methods are used to obtain this quantitative evidence. In the first method an expert GPR user and 4 other general users are used to predict the location of landmines from the correlated B scans and validate the SIMCA 2D algorithm. Here human users are asked to indicate the location of targets from a printed sheet of paper which shows the correlated B scans produced by the SIMCA algorithm after some training, bearing in mind that it is a blind test. For the second quantitative evidence method, the AMIRA software is used to obtain values of the burial depth and position of the target in the x direction and hence validate the SIMCA 2D algorithm. Then the absolute error values for the burial depth along with the absolute error values for the position in the x direction obtained from the SIMCA algorithm and the Scheers et al’s algorithm when compared to the corresponding ground truth values were calculated. Two-dimensional techniques that use B scans do not give accurate information on the shape and dimensions of the buried target, in comparison to 3D techniques that use 3D data (’C scans’). As a result the next part of the thesis presents a 3-dimensional technique. The equivalent 3D kernel is formed by rotating the 2D kernel produced by the simulation along the polar co-ordinates, whilst the 3D data is the clutter removed C scan. Then volume correlation is performed between the intersecting parts of the kernel and the data. This data is used to create iso-surfaces of the slices raised to an odd power > 2. To validate the algorithm an objective validation process which compares the actual target volume to that produced by the re-construction process is used. The SIMCA 3D technique and the Scheers et al’s (the best alternative system reported in the open literature) technique are used to image a variety of landmines using GPR scans. The types of mines included plastic, wooden and glass ones. In all cases clear images were obtained with SIMCA. In contrast Scheers’ algorithm, the present state-of-the-art, failed to provide clear images of non metallic landmines. For this thesis, the above algorithms have been tested for landmine data and for locating foundations in demolished buildings and to validate and demonstrate that the SIMCA algorithms are better than existing technologies such as the Scheers et al’s method and the REFLEXW commercial software.

The move to increasingly high resolution numerical weather prediction models has created a demand for high resolution observations over wide areas, for model initialisation. The weather radar network is a valuable source of such observations. To address this requirement and increasing concerns of obsolescence in the UK Weather Radar network a program of renewal was undertaken. This resulted in the creation of the Cyclops-DP, dual polarisation weather radar processing and control system, which was used as a platform from which investigation of novel radar observables could be undertaken. The retrieval of near-surface refractivity changes, using fixed clutter targets is investigated. It is shown that by combining dual polarisation measure- ments, an improvement in the correlation with surface observations is obtained. A novel method of determining the target location within the range gate, with the aim of reducing the bias and error in the refractivity retrievals, is tested but not shown to give benefit. The development of, what is thought to be, the first combined dual polar- ization weather radar and radiometer is described. It is shown that useful radiometric measurements can be made using conventional radar hardware and with relatively minor changes, the radar radiometric sensitivity is im- proved by a factor of 3.5. The sensitivity of the atmospheric background noise temperature to changes in temperature and pressure, as a function of elevation, at C band is investigated for the purposes of radiometric calibra- tion. It is shown that a climatological profile can be used in calibrations with certain caveats. A comparison of different methods of estimating the path integrated attenuation is presented and demonstrates that the radiometry- based estimates have skill and benefits compared to other techniques. The potential for using radiometric measurements to estimate partial beam blocking is demonstrated.

Millimeter-wave systems introduce a set of particular severe requirements from the antenna point of view in order to achieve specific performances. In this sense, high directive antennas are required to overcome the huge extra path loss. Moreover, each particular application introduces additional requirements. For example, in very high throughput (VHT) wireless personal area networks (WPANs) communication systems at 60 GHz band beam-steering antennas are needed to deal with high user random mobility and human-body shadowing characteristic of indoor environments. Similarly, beam-steering capabilities are also needed in automotive radar applications at 79 GHz, since the determination of the exact position of an object is essential for most of the functions realized by the radar sensor. In the same way, beam-scanning, which is still commonly mechanically performed nowadays, is also needed in passive imaging systems at 94 GHz. Finally, from the integration perspective, the antennas must be small, low-profile, light weight and low-cost, in order to be successfully integrated in a commercial millimeter-wave wireless system. For these reasons, many types of antenna structures have been considered to achieve high directivity and beam-steering capabilities for the aforementioned millimeter-wave communication, radar and imaging applications at 60, 79 and 94 GHz. The most part of the currently adopted solutions are based on the expensive, complex and bulky phased-array antena concept. Actually, phased-array antenna systems can scan the beam at a fast rate. However, they require a complex integration of many expensive, lossy and bulky circuits, such as solid-state phase shifters and beam-forming networks. This doctoral thesis has contributed to the study, development, and assessment of the performance of innovative antena solutions in order to improve the existing architectures at millimeter-wave frequencies, conveniently solving the problems related specifically to short-range high data rate communication systems at 60 GHz WPAN band (including future 5G millimeter-wave systems), automotive radar sensors at 79 GHz band, and communications, radar, and imaging systems at 94 GHz. The specific goals pursued in this work, focused on defining an alternative antenna architecture able to achieve a full reconfigurable 2-D beam-scanning of high gain radiation beams at millimeter-wave frequencies, has been fulfilled. In this sense, this thesis has been mainly devoted to study in depth and practically develop the fundamental part of an innovative switched-beam antenna array concept: novel inhomogeneous gradient-index dielectric flat lenses, which, despite their planar antenna profile configurations, allow full 2-D beam-scanning of high gain radiation beams. A transversal study, going from theoretical investigations, passing by numerical analysis, new fabrication strategies, performance evaluation, and to full experimental assessment of the new antenna architectures in real application environment has been successfully carried out.<br>Los sistemas a frecuencias de ondas milimétricas introducen una serie de requisitos muy estrictos desde el punto de vista de la antena con el objetivo de conseguir unos rendimientos específicos. En este sentido, se requieren antenas con una muy alta directividad con tal de conseguir superar las enormes pérdidas adicionales por propagación. Además, cada aplicación en concreto introduce unos requisitos adicionales. Por ejemplo, en redes de área personal de alta velocidad para sistemas de comunicación a la banda de 60 GHz, antenas con la capacidad de reconfiguración del haz de radiación son necesarias para poder tratar la problemática de la alta movilidad de los usuarios en entornos cerrados. De la misma forma, capacidades de reconfiguración de la orientación del haz de radiación son necesarias en aplicaciones relacionadas con radar de automoción a 79 GHz, dado que la determinación de la posición exacta de un objeto es esencial para muchas de las funciones del sensor de radar. De forma muy similar, la capacidad de apuntamiento del haz, que muchas veces todavía se realiza mediante sistemas mecánicos, es también imprescindible en sistemas de escaneo para aplicaciones biomédicas y de seguridad a 94 GHz. Finalmente, desde la perspectiva de la integración, las antenas deben ser eléctricamente pequeñas, ligeras, y económicas para poder ser incorporadas a un sistema inalámbrico comercial a frecuencias de onda milimétricas. Por todos estos motivos, diferentes tipos de estructuras de antenas han sido propuestos para conseguir alta directividad, junto con capacidades de reconfiguración y apuntamiento del haz de radiación para las aplicaciones anteriormente mencionadas y descritas en la banda de 60, 79, y 94 GHz. La solución tradicionalmente adoptada en este tipo de casos està estrictamente basada en el siempre caro, complejo y aparatoso concepto del phased-array. De hecho, los phased-arrays permiten el rápido escaneo de haces de radiación de alta directividad. Sin embargo, el hecho que requieran una compleja integración de muchos y caros componentes a alta frecuencia, tales como desfasadores de estado sólido o redes de conformación, los cuales introducen ciertos niveles de pérdidas, siendo además aparatosos, hacen que esta solución resulte inviable. La presente tesis doctoral contribuye al estudio, desarrollo, y ensayo experimental del rendimiento de soluciones de antenas innovadoras para la mejora de las existentes arquitecturas de antena en la banda frecuencial de las ondas milimétricas, convenientemente solucionando los problemas asociados específicamente a los sistemas de comunicación de corto alcance y alta velocidad a 60 GHz (incluyendo los futuros sistemas 5G a milimétricas), a los sistemas de radar de automoción a 79 GHz, y a los sistemas de comunicación, radar, y escaneo para aplicaciones a 94 GHz. Los objetivos específicos perseguidos en este trabajo académico, focalizados en definir una arquitectura alternativa de antena, capaz de conseguir una completa reconfiguración y escaneo de los haces de radiación en dos dimensiones del espacio a frecuencias de onda milimétricas, se han conseguido plenamente. En este sentido, esta tesis doctoral ha sido dedicada esencialmente al estudio en profundidad y desarrollo práctico de la parte fundamental del innovador concepto del switchedbeam array: nuevas lentes dieléctricas inhomogéneas de gradiente de índice con estructura plana, las cuales, a pesar de su configuración física totalmente llana, permiten una reconfiguración total, en dos dimensiones del espacio, de haces de radiación de alta directividad. Un estudio eminentemente transversal, que abarca desde la investigación teórica, pasando por el análisis numérico, nuevas metodologías y técnicas de fabricación, evaluación de rendimientos, hasta una completa caracterización y ensayo del rendimiento en entornos reales de aplicación de las nuevas arquitecturas de antena, se ha llevado a cabo con total éxito.<br>Els sistemes a freqüències d'ones mil·limètriques introdueixen una sèrie de requisits molt estrictes des del punt de vista de l'antena per tal d’aconseguir uns rendiments específics. En aquest sentit, es requereixen antenes amb una alta directivitat per aconseguir superar les enormes pèrdues addicionals per propagació. A més a més, cada aplicació en concret introdueix uns requeriments addicionals . Per exemple, en xarxes d'àrea personal d'alta velocitat per a sistemes de comunicació a la banda de 60 GHz, antenes amb la capacitat de reconfiguració del feix de radiació són necessàries per tal de poder tractar la problemàtica de l'alta mobilitat dels usuaris en entorns tancats . De la mateixa manera, capacitats de reconfiguració de l'orientació del feix de radiació són necessàries en aplicacions associades a radar d'automoció a 79 GHz, donat que la determinació de la posició exacta d'un objecte és essencial per moltes de les funcions portades a terme pels ens or del radar. De forma molt similar, la capacitat d'apuntament del feix, que moltes vegades encara es realitza per mitjà de sistemes mecànics, és també imprescindible en sistemes d'escaneig per aplicacions mèdiques i de seguretat a 94 GHz. Finalment, des de la perspectiva de la integració, les antenes han de ser petites en termes elèctrics, lleugeres, i econòmiques per tal de poder ser incorporades en un sistema sense fils comercial a freqüència d'ones mil·limètriques. Per aquestes raons , diversos tipus d'estructures d'antenes han sigut proposats per aconseguir alta directivitat, conjuntament amb la capacitat d'apuntament del feix de radiació per les aplicacions anteriorment descrites a les bandes de 60, 79, i 94 GHz. La solució tradicionalment adoptada en aquests casos és estrictament basada en el sempre car, complexe, i aparatós concepte del phased-array. De fet, els phased-arrays tenen la capacitat de reconfigurar a gran velocitat feixos de radiació d'alta directivitat. Tot i això, el fet que requereixin la complexa integració de molts components cars a alta freqüència, amb certs nivells de pèrdues i aparatosos, com són els desfasadors d'estat sòlid, i les xarxes de conformació, fan d'aquesta solució inviable. La present tesis doctoral contribueix a l'estudi, des envolupament, i assaig experimental del rendiment de solucions d'antenes innovadores per tal de millorar les existents arquitectures d'antena a la banda freqüencial de les ones mil·limètriques, convenientment solucionant els problemes associats específicament als sistemes de comunicació de rang proper d'alta velocitat a 60 GHz (incloent els futurs sistemes 5G a mil·limètriques ), als sistemes de radar d'automoció a la banda dels 79 GHz, i als sistemes de comunicació, radar, i escaneig per aplicacions a 94 GHz. Els objectius específics perseguits en aquest treball acadèmic, focalitzats en definir una arquitectura d'antena alternativa, capaç d'aconseguir una completa reconfiguració i escaneig dels feixos de radiació en dues dimensions de l'espaia freqüències d'ona mil·limètriques , s'han plenament aconseguit. En aquest sentit, aquesta tesis doctoral s'ha dedicat essencialment a l'estudi en profunditat i desenvolupament pràctic de la part fonamental de l'innovador concepte del switched-beam array: noves lents dielèctriques inhomogenees de gradient d'índex amb estructura planar, les quals, tot i preservar una configuració física totalment plana, permeten una reconfiguració total en dues dimensions de l'espai de feixos de radiació d'alta directivitat. Un estudi transversal, que comprèn des de la investigació teòrica, passant per l'anàlisi numèric, noves metodologies i tècniques de fabricació, avaluació de rendiments, fins a una completa caracterització i assaig del rendiment en entorns reals d'aplicació de les noves arquitectures d'antena s'ha dut a terme amb total èxit.

Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited.<br>An imaging radar, like ISAR, offers a combatant the capability to perform long range surveillance with high quality imagery for positive target identification. Extending this attractive feature to the battle damage assessment problem (BDA) gives the operator instant viewing of the target's behavior when it is hit. As a consequence, immediate and decisive action can be quickly taken (if required). However, the conventional Fourier processing adopted by most ISAR systems does not provide adequate time resolution to capture the target's dynamic responses during the hit. As a result, the radar image becomes distorted. To improve the time resolution, time-frequency transform (TFT) methods of ISAR imaging have been proposed. Unlike traditional Fourier-based processing, TFT's allows variable time resolution of the entire event that falls within the ISAR coherent integration period to be extracted as part of the imaging process. We have shown in this thesis that the use of linear Short Time-Frequency Transforms allows the translational response of the aircraft caused by a blast force to be clearly extracted. The TFT extracted images not only tell us how the aircraft responds to a blast effect but also provides additional information about the cause of image distortion in the traditional ISAR display.

Depuis 2007, une nouvelle génération de radar satellitaires imageurs plus performants permet de renouveler les approches cartographiques et ce, en particulier, sur les zones tropicales où l'acquisition des images optiques est difficile du fait de la présence quasi permanente de nuages. Ces radars opèrent en différentes longueurs d'onde (bande L, C, X), différentes polarisations et avec des résolutions spatiales variables (Très Haute Résolution à Moyenne Résolution Spatiale).Nos sites d'étude se situent en Guyane française et en Côte d'Ivoire en contexte climatique tropical humide. Sur la Guyane française de nombreuses études antérieures garantissent une connaissance géographique riche et détaillée, nos recherches porteront sur la méthodologie de traitement et d'analyse d'images radar multi-paramètres (longueur d'onde, polarisation, résolution) et de leur exploitation conjointe avec des images optiques très haute résolution spatiale en vue d'effectuer le suivi temporel des milieux rencontrés localement (forêt dense sur socle, plaine littorale, forêt de mangrove, zones humides…).Une fois ce bilan détaillé et argumenté, effectué sur la Guyane, les recherches se porteront sur des zones test en Côte d'Ivoire qui contrairement à la Guyane, ne disposent pas de connaissances géographiques de qualité mais où le climat tropical rend, comme en Guyane, l'usage des images radar incontournable. Le premier chapitre de ce travail décrit les milieux rencontrés sur nos zones d'étude ainsi que les données disponibles sur chacun d'entre eux. Le second chapitre porte sur la méthodologie de traitement et d'analyse d'images radar multi paramètres et de leur exploitation conjointe avec des images optiques très haute résolution spatiale. Deux approches d'évaluation des images y sont discutées. Une première approche, basée sur la photo-interprétation, s'appuie sur les documents cartographiques existants, les levés de terrain pour évaluer visuellement les images. Une seconde approche aborde l'évaluation grâce aux méthodes de classification supervisée pour lesquelles deux techniques ont été utilisées : la classification SVM et la classification orientée objet. Le troisième chapitre est consacré aux applications thématiques des images sur les zones test situées en Guyane française et en Côte d'Ivoire. Y sont abordées la cartographie de l'occupation du sol, le suivi des zones humides littorales et la dynamique côtière et toutes ces applications pouvant conduire à la mise à jour des documents cartographiques existants<br>Since 2007, the launch of fully polarimetric SAR sensors has significantly improved the potential of satellite SAR data for the vegetation cartography. These sensors allow to make a complete description of the polarization state of the backscattered wave whatever the polarization configuration of the incident wave. Polarimetric data are sensitive to the geometrical structure of the vegetation cover, bringing a significant contribution for vegetation cartography. Different fully polarimetric sensors have been launched since 2007: ComoSkyMed, RADARSAT-2, and PALSAR sensors allowing observations in X, C, and L bands, with spatial resolution ranging from 1 to 30 m. Pilote sites are French Guiana (French) and Ivory coast (West African country) in humid tropical zone. In French Guiana, many studies in the past years guarantee a rich and detailed geographical knowledge, our works concern the multi parameters radar image analysis method (wavelength, polarization, resolution) and their exploitation together with external mapping data in the aim of implementing the temporal survey of the locally encountered environment (dense forest, coastal plains, mangrove forests, wetlands,…). In fact, with 80% of forest cover, French Guyana needs an update of existing cartographic documents to quantify the evolution of his dynamic vegetation. Once this assessment made on the Guyana was detailed and argued, the researches will concern to test zones in Ivory Coast which contrary to the Guyana, do not have geographical quality knowledge but where the tropical climate makes the use of radar images necessary as in Guyana. The first chapter of this work describes the fields met on our areas of study as well as the data available on each of them. Second chapter focuses on the methodology of processing and analysis of multicriterias radar images and their joint exploitation with optical images of very high-spatial resolution. Then, two approaches of evaluation of the images are discussed. A first approach, based on photo-interpretation, relies on the existing cartographic documents and on the land surveys to estimate visually the images. A second approach stating the evaluation thanks to the supervised classification for which two techniques were used: the SVM classification and the object-oriented classification. The third chapter is dedicated to the thematic applications of images on the test areas situated in French Guyana and in Ivory Coast. The mapping of the land use, the follow-up (survey) of the littoral wetlands and the coastal dynamics, all these applications can lead to the update of the existing cartographic documents