Synthetic aperture radar processing for vessel kinematics estimation

Navigating vessels leave traces of their motion in the form of wake patterns on the water surface. Wakes are visible in high resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar maps and bear information related to the kinematic variables of the vessel motion. A proper processing of the wake pattern allows to estimate the vessel heading and velocity. This information can be exploited in decision procedures concerning maritime surveillance and ship traffic monitoring. This document describes the design and implementation of software procedures with the purpose of estimating the motion parameters of a navigating vessel, through processing the wake pattern generated by the vessel itself.