Experimentation of a tomographic technique on envisat radar altimetry data: Oil platforms as an opportunity target

In the present paper, a microwave tomographic technique is used in order to analyze the effect of oil & gas platforms located in the Adriatic Sea on the radar returns of the RA-2 sensor, installed onboard the ENVISAT satellite. The study area is located in front of the Italian Adriatic coast of Ravenna harbor. The results from the analysis of waveforms show that hyperbolae are clearly visible. The tomographic reconstructions exhibit signatures corresponding to their presence. Their relationship is thought dependent on the geometric conditions. Some examples are discussed in this paper.