SAR Processing

Cloude Pottier Decomposition

Function name: cloude_pottier_decomposition

No help documentation available for this tool.

Enhanced Lee Filter

Function name: enhanced_lee_filter

No help documentation available for this tool.

Freeman Durden Decomposition

Function name: freeman_durden_decomposition

No help documentation available for this tool.

Frost Filter

Function name: frost_filter

Experimental

Speckle reduction for SAR intensity imagery using Frost adaptive filtering.

remote_sensing raster filter frost_filter legacy-port

NameDescriptionRequiredDefault inputInput raster path or typed raster object.Requiredinput.tif radiusLocal window radius in pixels (default 2).Optional2 damping_factorFrost damping factor controlling exponential decay (default 2.0).Optional2.0 outputOptional output path. If omitted, output remains in memory.Optional—

Examples

Applies frost_filter to an input raster. wbe.frost_filter(input='image.tif', output='frost_filter.tif')

Gamma Map Filter

Function name: gamma_map_filter

Experimental

Gamma-MAP speckle filter for SAR imagery with ENL-aware noise modeling.

remote_sensing raster filter gamma_map_filter legacy-port

Parameters

NameDescriptionRequiredDefault inputInput raster path or typed raster object.Requiredinput.tif radiusLocal window radius in pixels (default 2).Optional2 enlEquivalent number of looks (default 1.0).Optional1.0 outputOptional output path. If omitted, output remains in memory.Optional—

Examples

Applies gamma_map_filter to an input raster. wbe.gamma_map_filter(input='image.tif', output='gamma_map_filter.tif')

H Alpha Wisart Classification

Function name: h_alpha_wisart_classification

No help documentation available for this tool.

Kuan Filter

Function name: kuan_filter

Experimental

Kuan adaptive speckle filter for SAR intensity data.

remote_sensing raster filter kuan_filter legacy-port

Parameters

Examples

Applies kuan_filter to an input raster. wbe.kuan_filter(input='image.tif', output='kuan_filter.tif')

Refined Lee Filter

Function name: refined_lee_filter

No help documentation available for this tool.

SAR Analysis Readiness

Function name: sar_analysis_readiness

PROProduction

Evaluate SAR scene readiness for downstream analysis, including optional terrain and pairwise coherence-proxy checks.

workflow pro

Workflow Narrative

SAR Readiness QA

Problem It Solves

Are SAR scenes normalized enough for robust multi-scene comparison and downstream analytics?

Who It Is For

SAR specialists and all-weather monitoring teams.

Primary User

Disaster/hazard monitoring units, remote sensing service firms, and infrastructure monitoring groups.

What It Does

Produces analysis-ready SAR derivatives from SAR + DEM.
Applies calibration, speckle filtering, and RTC-support factor generation.
Accepts either direct SAR rasters or supported SAR bundles and records bundle metadata provenance.
Optionally emits a pair-based coherence proxy and can auto-coregister the pair first when explicit opt-in alignment is requested.

How It Works

Converts input SAR intensity to calibrated backscatter-compatible values.
Applies configurable speckle-window filtering for noise suppression.
Computes terrain correction factors from DEM geometry, resolves bundle metadata when present, and optionally evaluates a pair coherence proxy.
Indicative formula: gamma0 ~= sigma0 / cos(local_incidence), then local-window filtering and optional pair coherence estimation.

Why It Wins

Couples SAR preprocessing with terrain support, bundle-native provenance, and explicit geometry guardrails, while still allowing an audited auto-coregistration handoff when pair alignment is not pre-established.
Boundary note:
sar_analysis_readiness is not the dedicated interferogram+coherence production workflow.
Dedicated companion tool (single combined workflow): sar_interferogram_coherence.
Design spec and scope details: docs/sar_interferogram_coherence_spec.md.

Typical Buying Trigger

An organization needs dependable all-weather monitoring where optical imagery is frequently unavailable.

Typical Presets

default with single scene for preprocessing.
pair mode with either direct raster pairs or bundle-resolved pair inputs for coherence-proxy output.

Inputs

ParameterOptionalDescription input_sar or input_sar_bundle, input_demnoPrimary SAR source plus terrain model used for radiometric terrain correction and readiness metrics. input_measurement_keyyesOptional bundle measurement selector when the input SAR bundle contains multiple assets. optional pair_sar or pair_sar_bundle and look-angle controlsyesOptional secondary SAR source and geometry controls used for pair-based coherence-proxy diagnostics. pair_measurement_keyyesOptional bundle measurement selector when the pair SAR bundle contains multiple assets. auto_coregister_pair, coreg_max_offset_px, coreg_decimation, coreg_min_overlap_fractionyesOptional opt-in handoff to translation-mode pair alignment before coherence-proxy estimation when CRS/grid do not already match. speckle_window, z_factornoNoise-filter window and vertical scaling controls used in SAR preprocessing.

Outputs

ParameterTypeDescription sar_backscatter_calibratedGeoTIFFCalibrated SAR backscatter raster suitable for quantitative comparison. speckle_filteredGeoTIFFSpeckle-reduced SAR raster for improved interpretability and downstream analysis. rtc_factorGeoTIFFRadiometric terrain correction factor raster used to normalize SAR signal. coherence_proxyoptional GeoTIFFOptional pair-based amplitude-domain coherence proxy raster when a compatible SAR pair is provided. summaryJSONMachine-readable summary report containing run metadata, QA diagnostics, and key metrics. html_reportHTMLHuman-readable customer-facing report generated from the summary contract for stakeholder review and QA traceability.

Python Example

`import whitebox_workflows as wbw

wbe = wbw.WbEnvironment(include_pro=True, tier="pro")

result = wbe.sar_analysis_readiness( input_sar_bundle="data/S1_reference.SAFE", input_measurement_key="vv", input_dem="data/dem.tif", pair_sar_bundle="data/S1_pair.SAFE", pair_measurement_key="vv", auto_coregister_pair=True, coreg_max_offset_px=24, speckle_window=5, output_prefix="output/sar_ready", )

print(result)`

License Notice

Use of this function requires a license for Whitebox Workflows Professional (WbW-Pro). Please visit www.whiteboxgeo.com to purchase a license.

SAR Coregistration

Function name: sar_coregistration

PROProduction

Coregister moving SAR imagery to a reference grid (translation/affine/local-offset-grid modes).

workflow pro

Workflow Narrative

SAR Coregistration

Problem It Solves

Can we put a moving SAR scene on the reference scene grid with enough geometric confidence for pairwise analytics?

Who It Is For

SAR analysts, infrastructure monitoring teams, and registration-first EO pipelines.

Primary User

InSAR/infrastructure monitoring teams, geospatial intelligence groups, and SAR QA operations.

What It Does

Aligns a moving SAR raster or resolved SAR-bundle measurement onto a reference SAR grid.
Supports translation, affine, and local_offset_grid modes (affine and local_offset_grid remain experimental).
Emits aligned output plus transform/summary diagnostics, including compatibility and acceptance gates for machine-checkable downstream use.

How It Works

Harmonizes the moving SAR raster to the reference CRS/grid when needed and evaluates strict scene compatibility where metadata allows.
Applies amplitude-domain matching with bounded search and subpixel refinement, then executes the selected transform model.
Emits per-run QA including burst diagnostics (Sentinel-1), continuity checks, and Phase-A acceptance gates.
Indicative formula: $\rho(\Delta x, \Delta y) = \mathrm{corr}(\log(1 + I_{ref}), \log(1 + I_{mov}(x-\Delta x, y-\Delta y)))$.

Why It Wins

Accepts both direct rasters and supported SAR bundles while turning pair alignment into a reproducible audited workflow artifact instead of an opaque manual preprocessing step.

Typical Buying Trigger

A team needs a defensible alignment stage before coherence, pair differencing, or cross-sensor fusion.

Typical Presets

translation: default global shift path.
affine: global affine refinement (experimental).
local_offset_grid: local residual warp model (experimental).

Inputs

ParameterOptionalDescription reference_sar or reference_sar_bundlenoReference SAR source provided either as a raster path or a supported SAR bundle. moving_sar or moving_sar_bundlenoMoving SAR source provided either as a raster path or a supported SAR bundle. reference_measurement_key, moving_measurement_keyyesOptional bundle measurement selectors when either SAR bundle contains multiple measurement assets. coreg_modeyesCoregistration mode: translation, affine, or local_offset_grid (experimental for affine/local). max_offset_px, decimation, min_overlap_fractionyesSearch-radius and sampled-overlap controls for correlation-based shift estimation. input_dem, dem_z_factoryesOptional DEM-assisted initialization controls used for geometry-informed matching support. phase_a_* thresholdsyesOptional acceptance/continuity threshold overrides for deterministic quality gating. resample_method, output_prefixyesOutput resampling mode and artifact prefix.

Outputs

ParameterTypeDescription moving_alignedGeoTIFFMoving SAR raster resampled onto the reference SAR grid. offset_xGeoTIFFConstant x-offset surface in map units for the estimated translation. offset_yGeoTIFFConstant y-offset surface in map units for the estimated translation. transformJSONMachine-readable transform and QA summary for the estimated alignment. summaryJSONMachine-readable workflow report containing parameters, QA diagnostics, and artifact paths. html_reportHTMLHuman-readable report generated from the summary contract for review and traceability.

Python Example

`import whitebox_workflows as wbw

wbe = wbw.WbEnvironment(include_pro=True, tier="pro")

result = wbe.sar_coregistration( reference_sar_bundle="data/S1_reference.SAFE", reference_measurement_key="vv", moving_sar_bundle="data/S1_pair.SAFE", moving_measurement_key="vv", max_offset_px=24, decimation=4, resample_method="bilinear", output_prefix="output/sar_coreg", )

print(result)`

License Notice

Use of this function requires a license for Whitebox Workflows Professional (WbW-Pro). Please visit www.whiteboxgeo.com to purchase a license.

SAR Interferogram Coherence

Function name: sar_interferogram_coherence

PROProduction

Estimate interferometric coherence between SAR acquisitions (direct, complex, or bundle modes).

workflow pro

Workflow Narrative

SAR Interferogram and Coherence

Problem It Solves

Can this SAR pair be converted into defensible interferogram/coherence products with auditable provenance and QA diagnostics?

Who It Is For

InSAR practitioners and SAR operations teams requiring repeatable pair-level coherence/interferogram products.

Primary User

Infrastructure deformation monitoring teams, hazard intelligence groups, and SAR analytics operations.

What It Does

Produces interferogram, coherence, and valid-mask outputs from compatible SAR pairs in one dedicated workflow.
Accepts either direct SAR rasters, supported SAR bundles, or complex split real/imag SAR inputs.
Emits standardized machine-readable summary and optional HTML report artifacts for auditable downstream use.

How It Works

Resolves reference and moving SAR inputs from either direct raster mode, bundle mode, or complex component mode.
Optionally performs internal sar_coregistration handoff when grids are mismatched, unless the caller explicitly asserts a prealigned pair.
Computes either complex-domain interferometric phase and coherence magnitude (complex mode) or amplitude-domain proxy interferogram/coherence (scalar mode).
Uses summed-area coherence kernels and parallel row-chunk evaluation to reduce runtime on larger scenes; optional fast mode can further decimate coherence sampling.
Indicative formulas: $\phi = \mathrm{atan2}(\Im(z), \Re(z))$ for interferometric phase where $z = s_{ref},\overline{s_{mov}}$, and local-window coherence proxy from normalized cross-correlation magnitude.

Why It Wins

Unifies SAR pair ingest, optional alignment handoff, product generation, acceptance gating, and QA/report artifacts in one reproducible contract workflow.
Operational note:
When auto_coregister_pair=true, this tool invokes the existing sar_coregistration engine internally if the pair grids do not already match.
If the pair is known to already be aligned, prefer assume_prealigned_pair=true and leave auto_coregister_pair=false to avoid unnecessary alignment work.
Failed acceptance on the coreg residual gate indicates the pair/alignment should not be treated as registration-quality enough for trusted downstream interpretation.

Typical Buying Trigger

Teams need a dedicated production stage for interferogram/coherence outputs instead of ad hoc post-processing scripts.

Typical Presets

scalar raster pair: direct amplitude-domain processing with optional auto-coregistration.
bundle pair: bundle-native measurement resolution with identical output contract.
complex split mode: complex-domain phase/coherence computation from explicit real/imag rasters.
fast large-scene mode: reduced coherence workload via performance_profile="fast", optional coherence_decimation, and selective artifact writing.

Inputs

ParameterOptionalDescription reference_sar or reference_sar_bundleno (unless complex mode)Reference SAR source provided either as a direct raster path or supported SAR bundle root. moving_sar or moving_sar_bundleno (unless complex mode)Moving SAR source provided either as a direct raster path or supported SAR bundle root. reference_sar_real, reference_sar_imag, moving_sar_real, moving_sar_imagno (complex mode)Complex input mode components for explicit complex-domain interferogram/coherence processing. reference_measurement_key, moving_measurement_keyyesOptional bundle measurement selectors when SAR bundles include multiple measurement assets. auto_coregister_pair, assume_prealigned_pair, coreg_modeyesPair-alignment controls: either invoke internal sar_coregistration when needed or explicitly assert the pair is already aligned. coreg_max_offset_px, coreg_decimation, coreg_min_overlap_fractionyesOptional scalar-mode coreg handoff tuning controls for search radius, sampling stride, and minimum overlap. coherence_window, performance_profile, coherence_decimationyesCoherence kernel controls. Fast mode can reduce effective window size and decimate coherence sampling on very large scenes. input_demyesOptional DEM used for terrain-context masking and geometry-support pathways. write_interferogram, write_coherence, write_valid_mask, write_html_reportyesOptional artifact suppression controls used to reduce heavy-run output cost. output_layout, output_compression, output_tile_sizeyesGeoTIFF write-profile controls for standard vs COG-style output and compression behavior. output_prefixyesOutput artifact prefix.

Outputs

ParameterTypeDescription interferogramoptional GeoTIFFInterferogram raster (complex phase in complex mode, amplitude-domain proxy in scalar mode) when writing is enabled. coherenceoptional GeoTIFFCoherence magnitude raster from local-window pair statistics when writing is enabled. valid_maskoptional GeoTIFFBinary/flag mask indicating valid pair-support pixels used during computation when writing is enabled. summaryJSONMachine-readable summary report containing run metadata, QA diagnostics, timings, and artifact paths. html_reportoptional HTMLHuman-readable customer-facing report generated from the summary contract for stakeholder review and QA traceability when writing is enabled.

Python Example

`import whitebox_workflows as wbw

wbe = wbw.WbEnvironment(include_pro=True, tier="pro")

result = wbe.sar_interferogram_coherence( reference_sar="output/sar_coreg_reference.tif", moving_sar="output/sar_coreg_moving_aligned.tif", assume_prealigned_pair=True, coherence_window=7, performance_profile="balanced", output_prefix="output/sar_ifg_coh", )

print(result)`

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