NEST 4C-1.

1: an ESA toolbox for

scientific exploitation of SAR data
Andrea Minchella
RSAC c/o European Space Agency ESRIN
EO Science, Applications and New Technologies Department
Exploitation & Services Division

Contents

NEST Project Overview & Context

NEST Architecture
NEST Features
Hands-on exercise - The link between PolSARpro & NEST

What is NEST

NEST = Next ESA SAR Toolbox

A free and fully open source toolbox under the GNU GPL license

Supports the scientific and operational exploitation (reading, processing, analysing and
visualising) of ESA and 3rd party spaceborne SAR data

Project KO in November 2007, current version number is NEST 4C-1.1

SAR Mission Reader
ENVISAT ASAR
ERS-1&2
Radarsat-2
Cosmo-SkyMed
TerraSAR-X
ALOS PALSAR
Radarsat-1
JERS SAR

2013
Sentinel 1 A-B

NEST Development Team

NEST is being developed under ESA Contract number 20698/07/I-LG
NEST TEAM
1. ESA
Marcus Engdahl (ESA Technical Officer), Andrea Minchella (RSAC c/o ESA)

2. Array Systems Computing (prime)

Rajesh Jha, Luis Veci, Jun Lu, Shengli Dai

3. Brockmann Consult
Norman Fomferra, Marco Peters

4. PPO.labs (InSAR)
Petar Marinkovic

5. TU Delft (InSAR)
Prof. Ramon Hanssen

NEST Architecture
- NEST is built re-using the proven BEAM Earth Observation Toolbox and Development
Platform (http://www.brockmann-consult.de/cms/web/beam/welcome)
Reduced development cost
Development synergy thanks to the shared NEST-BEAM Core plug-in modules for
both toolboxes are largely interchangeable.
Easy expandability (BEAM processors, etc.)
- Java implementation: guarantees platform independence and easy portability
(Windows, Linux, Mac)
- Advanced features include:
A Tiled memory model
Multi-core processor support
Modular design (plugins)

NEST Architecture: data flow

Display and Analysis Tool (DAT)
Integrated graphical user interface for SAR data visualisation,
analysis and processing
ENVISAT ASAR
Beam dimap

ERS-1&2

Geotiff

Radarsat-2
Cosmo-SkyMed
TerraSAR-X

Readers

Generic Product Model (GPM)

NEST-BEAM core

Writers

Netcdf
Envi
Generic Binary

ALOS PALSAR

Google Earth

Radarsat-1

PolSARpro

JERS SAR

Graph Processing Tool (GPT)

For command line execution of user-defined
batch processing chains

Display and Analysis Tool (DAT)

Products View

Projects View

Pixel image information

Metadata/header

Statistics

R.O.I. Tool

Navigation

Colour (LUT) Management

Layer Management (Image & shape overlay)

World Maps (NASA WorldWind integration)

Flexible windows management

Graph Processing Tools

Create your own processing chains & save in XML

Visual Graph Processing Framework interface
Executed from command line or from GUI
Allows for batch processing on stack of images
Very useful for large-scale operational processing

NEST Features

Readers and Product library

Utilities
(Basic) SAR Tools
(Advanced) SAR Tools: Geometry, InSAR, Ocean

Readers
SAR data
readers

Common EO
formats

Compatibility
with other
software

ENVISAT ASAR

GeoTiff

Envi

ERS-1&2

HDF 4 & 5

PolSARpro

ALOS PALSAR

NetCDF

BEAM

Radarsat-1&2

Generic Binary

TerraSAR-X
CosmoSkyMed
JERS SAR

http://earth.eo.esa.int/polsarpro/

The Product Library

Convenient browsing and importing of products

having information and product previews.
Import to a project
Apply batch processing chain

Utilities

ERS & ASAR precise orbit handling (Delft, ESA Doris

and Prare orbits)
Band Arithmetic
Data Conversion
Subset and Resampling
Metadata inspection and replace
Image Filtering
Create layers stack
Image Analysis
- Principle Component Analysis
- EM Cluster Analysis (Beam tool)
- KMeans Cluster Analysis (Beam tool)

(basic) SAR Tools*

Absolute calibration (Envisat ASAR, ERS 1&2, ALOS, Radarsat-2,
TerraSAR-X, Cosmo-SkyMed)
Coregistration of detected and complex products
Multilooking
Speckle filtering (single and multitemporal filtering)
Debursting of ASAR WSS

* Level of support depends on sensor & product type. Please refer to NEST documentation
for full details
Operators help
Supported_Products&MainTools.xls
available in the Documentation page on NEST website at
http://liferay.array.ca:8080/web/nest/documentation

Geometry

Range-Doppler Terrain Correction (backward geocoding)

Simulated SAR Terrain Correction with GIM mask
Radiometric normalization during Terrain Correction
Ellipsoid correction
Map Reprojection
Mosaicking
DEM tools

Geometry (cont.)

Mission

Range Doppler TC/SAR

Simulation TC

Radiometric Normalization
(Approach:Kellndorfer et al.,
TGRS, Sept. 1998)

ASAR

Both complex and detected

products supported

Both complex and detected

products supported

ERS

Both complex and detected

products supported

Both complex and detected

products supported

RADARSAT-2

Both complex and detected

products supported

Both complex and detected

products supported

Cosmo-SkyMed

Both complex and detected

products supported

Both complex and detected

products supported

TerraSAR-X

Complex products supported

Complex products supported

InSAR: NEST-DORIS
Algorithmic integration of DORIS
(TU Delft Radar Interferometric Software)
Fully integrated and featured InSAR processor
within NEST
Coregistration and resampling
DEM assisted coregistration
Products: interferogram and coherence
Filtering: both spectral and phase
Geo-coding
Unwrapping via 3rd party sw (SNAPHU)
DEM product
Differential InSAR
Available in 4C
Available in 5A-1.0 (Beginning 2013)

Only zero doppler and strip map data are

fully supported

Ocean Tools
Object (ship) Detection
Oil Spill Detection
Wind Field Estimation
Create Land Mask

Land Masked

Detection

Map Projected

What's new in NEST 4C

Interferometry

Phase filtering

Integration with SNAPHU for phase unwrapping

Phase to height conversion

DEM generation

Three-pass differential InSAR

InSAR stack overview and selection of an optimal master product

Bug fixes and performance improvements

ENVI export with georeferencing

Selectable target format for batch processing

ArcInfo Binary Grid reader

Improved coregistration of polarimetric products

ASTER GDEM v2 support

Improved SAR Simulation Terrain Correction

Better PolSARPro integration

Ellipsoid Correction Range-Doppler: selectable pixel size

Cosmo-SkyMed Wide Swath (detected) calibration

Bug fixes

On going development (2012-13)

Technical Req No.

Usability Improvements

TRN.01.070

Report generation tools

TRN.01.080

Improvement of subset operator: Graphical subset selection, harmonisation with GPF, execution of
subset without displaying the full image, choice to direct save the output.

Extended TerraSAR-X Support

TRN.02.010

TerraSAR-X Rigorous calibration according to official documentation http://www.astriumgeo.com/files/pmedia/public/r465_9_tsxx-itd-tn-0049-radiometric_calculations_i1.00.pdf

TRN.02.020

Extension of Terrain Correction operator to TERRASAR-X detected product

InSAR Tools
TRN.04.010

Implementation of the Statistical-cost, Network-flow Algorithm for Phase Unwrapping proposed by

Chen and Zebker

TRN.04.020

Extensions of developed InSAR coregistration modules and other InSAR modules for cross
interferometric applications.

TRN.04.030

Enhanced DEM Assisted Coregistration implementation

TRN.04.040

Optimisation of coregistration module for InSAR processing implementing the 'conventional' 3-step
correlation optimization algorithm.

Further information
For software upgrades, documentation and more information regarding the NEST
project, please visit the website at

http://earth.esa.int/nest

Hands-on exercise - The link between PolSARpro & NEST

The main objective is to show:

how Geocoding the entropy derived by a Radarsat-2 Full
Polarimetric image (processed by PolSARpro) using the new
PolSARpro capability bridge with the NEST.

21

Main Exercise steps

Open and Inspect the Radarsat 2product

Overlay different polarisation bands

Geocoding (Terrain Correction) using STRM DEM

Pre-processed data (Filtered T3 and H/A/Alpha) by PolSARpro ingestion

Set-up of NEST from PolSARpro

Import PolSARpro T3 folder products

Display the Entropy and compute statistics

Apply a LUT (Look up table)

Geocoding the Entropy with the new PolSARpro tool bridging NEST

Open Geocoded Entropy

Export to Google Earth

Using the NEST DAT

Using the NEST DAT

Using the NEST DAT

Before starting: Installing NEST

In DVD 1 from folder called Software\NEST:

- Proceed with installation of NEST according to
your OS (32bit or 64bit):
NEST-4C-1.1-windows-installer.exe (32bit)
NEST-4C-1.1-windows64-installer.exe

23

Before starting: the Dataset

In DVD1 from folder called Data_Minchella:
1. Unzip the file called PolarimetryCourse2013_NEST.zip under C:\ of your PC
C:\PolarimetryCourse2013_NEST
2. Copy the folder called AuxData under C:\ of your PC
C:\AuxData
Radarsat-2 fine Full Polarisation
Area: Flevoland in the Netherlands
This dataset is free available from the following link:
http://gs.mdacorporation.com/SatelliteData/Radarsat2/SampleDataset.aspx
24

Main Exercise steps

Open and Inspect the Radarsat 2product

Overlay different polarisation bands

Geocoding (Terrain Correction) using STRM DEM

Pre-processed data (Filtered T3 and H/A/Alpha) with PolSARpro ingestion

Set-up of NEST from PolSARpro

Import PolSARpro T3 folder products

Display the Entropy and compute statistics

Apply a LUT (Look up table)

Geocoding the Entropy with the new PolSARpro tool bridging NEST

Open Geocoded Entropy

Export to Google Earth

Using the NEST DAT

Using the NEST DAT

Using the NEST DAT

NEST DAT
Double click on NEST icon

for launching NEST

DAT

(Display and Analysis Tool)

To open the data in the Products View few ways are available:
Readers
Open Raster product
Product Library.
Drag the product directly from the folder where data is located.

Open the Radarsat-2 product

C:\PolarimetryCourse2013_NEST\Flevoland_R2_FineQuad9_HH_VV_HV_VH_SLC

27

Inspect product structure

Identification: Basic information on the product (Mission, Product

type, Acquisition time, Pass, Track and Orbit)
Metadata: This includes all the original metadata within the
product, the Abstracted Metadata which is the important metadata
fields used by the Operators in a common format and the Processing
graph history recording the processing that was done
Tie Point Grids: Raster grids created from interpolating the tie-points
information within the product. The interpolation is done on the fly
according to the product.
Bands: The actual bands inside the product and virtual bands created
by NEST from expressions. Different icons are used to distinguish
these bands.

28

The (NEST) abstracted metadata

View the bands product: display a band (VV)

Mouse left button double click on the band name to view it.

Zoom in the Intensity_VV

Zooming in using the sliding tool

31

Display the product in a flat Earth view (NASA WorldWind)

To use the WorldWind World Map and 3D View:

Internet connection required
3D video card Graphic Card supporting open GL
library

Display the product in BEAM flat Earth view

No Internet connection required

Low resolution image

Conversion from Linear to db

Mouse Right click over the band name

Select Linear to/from dB

Conversion from Linear to db

Mouse left button double click on the band name to view it.

Overlay the different polarisation bands

1.

From Layer Manager click on + button

2.

Add Layer Image of Bands/Tie-Points Grid

3.

Click Next

Overlay the different polarisation bands

4. Select Intensity_HH with mouse Left button click

5. Click Finish

Overlay the different polarisation bands

Experiment the Transparency capability

6. Geocoding (Terrain Correction) using STRM DEM: The Settings window

NEST is able to download automatically the STRM v.4 (3 tiles) from the JRC FTP
(xftp.jrc.it) for the area covered by the image to be orthorectified.
The tiles will be downloaded to the folder C/AuxData/DEMs/SRTM_DEM/tiff. Also
Delft and ESA orbits are automatic downloaded.

Internet is required! And your firewall must allow that.

If your Internet settings are preventing the downloading, you still can download
by yourself the DEM tiles and/orbits and put these manually in the NEST
Settings Window directories.

The Test Connectivity

In the HELP tab there is a Test Connectivity capability

to check if the connection works well.
Sometime even if Connection testing is successful, the
PC settings could prevent the downloading

Geocoding (RD Terrain Correction backward geocoding) using STRM

DEM: parameters

A default pixel spacing is computed with

parameters in the metadata.
Beside this, user can specify output pixel
spacing for the orthorectified image.

Geocoding (Terrain Correction) using STRM DEM: parameters

Geocoding (Terrain Correction) using STRM DEM: parameters

Main Exercise steps

Open and Inspect the Radarsat 2product

Overlay different polarisation bands

Geocoding (Terrain Correction) using STRM DEM

Pre-processed data (Filtered T3 and H/A/Alpha) by PolSARpro ingestion

Set-up of NEST from PolSARpro

Import PolSARpro T3 folder products

Display the Entropy and compute statistics

Apply a LUT (Look up table)

Geocoding the Entropy with the new PolSARpro tool bridging NEST

Open Geocoded Entropy

Export to Google Earth

Using the NEST DAT

Using the NEST DAT

Using the NEST DAT

Lauch PolSARpro

Radarsat-2 widget selection

Select RADARSAT-2 satellite icon:

Mouse left button click over Quad-Pol

Environment setting

1.

Click over Environment

2.

Select as Main Input Directory

3.

Click Save & Exit

Pre-applied processing
Configuration
Data Import

Data Process

Input Data File

Extract Raw Data
[T3] Elements Full Res

Batch Processing

[T3] Elements
Speckle Filtering
Box Car
H / A / alpha Decomp.

48

Pre-applied processing:
Filtered T3 and H/A/Alpha decomposition

Pre-applied processing:
Filtered T3 and H/A/Alpha decomposition

Entropy.bmp

50

NEST Configuration

1.

Select the nest-dat.exe

2.

Save & Exit

Run NEST

Import PolSARpro T3 folder products

Import PolSARpro T3 folder products

PolSARpro
Thacted
T3 folder
metadata
metadata

View the bands

Thacted
product:
metadata
display the Entropy

Mouse left button double click on the band name to view it

Pixel info

Entropy data range value: [0,1]

Statistics
Thactedcomputation
metadata

ApplyThacted
a LUT (Look
metadata
up table)

1. Click to Colour manipulation

2. Import a Colour palette (Spectrum.cpd)
Open

3. Click Apply

ApplyThacted
a LUT (Look
metadata
up table)

Main Exercise steps

Open and Inspect the Radarsat 2product

Overlay different polarisation bands

Geocoding (Terrain Correction) using STRM DEM

Pre-processed data (Filtered T3 and H/A/Alpha) by PolSARpro ingestion

Set-up of NEST from PolSARpro

Import PolSARpro T3 folder products

Display the Entropy and compute statistics

Apply a LUT (Look up table)

Geocoding the Entropy with the new PolSARpro tool bridging NEST

Open Geocoded Entropy

Export to Google Earth

Using the NEST DAT

Using the NEST DAT

Using the NEST DAT

NEST GPT
Thacted
Command
metadata
Line interface
PolSARpro employs the NEST GPT engine in the bridge with NEST
Make running the gpt from any folder, set the NEST_HOME variable:
1. On Windows go to Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Environment Variables
2. Add a variable for NEST_HOME to point to the installation folder and also include
%NEST_HOME% in the PATH variable.

NEST GPT
Thacted
Command
metadata
Line interface
Open the Command Prompt and type gpt
If set-up has been properly done you should get:

Geocoding the Entropy

Thacted
withmetadata
the new tool bridging NEST

1.

Input: entropy

2.

Browse for the product.xml of

the Radarsat-2 data

3.

Click OK

Geocoded Entropy

Envi Format

65

Open Geocoded Entropy in NEST

66

Open Geocoded Entropy in NEST

67

Apply a LUT

1. Click to Colour manipulation

2. Import a Colour palette (Spectrum.cpd)
Open

3. Click Apply
68

Thacted
Applymetadata
a LUT

Overlay the Geocoded Intensity VV

Drag the .tiff file directly into the product view

70

Overlay the Geocoded Intensity VV

1.

From Layer Manager click on + button

2.

Add Layer Image of Bands/Tie-Points Grid

3.

Click Next

Overlay the Geocoded Intensity VV

4. Select Intensity_HH with mouse Left button click

5. Click Finish

Overlay the Geocoded Intensity VV

73

Export to Google Earth

74

Export to Google Earth

75

Hands-on exercise - The link between PolSARpro & NEST

The main objective was to show:
how Geocoding the entropy derived by a Radarsat-2 Full
Polarimetric image (processed by PolSARpro) using the new
PolSARpro capability bridge with the NEST.
Any questions??

76

THANK YOU
Andrea Minchella
RSAC Ltd. c/o European Space Agency ESRIN
EO Science, Applications and New Technologies Department
[email protected]