Multi-Frequency SAR Data for an Effective Maritime Domain Awareness

This paper presents the findings of the COAST project, an innovative investigation into maritime surveillance using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, funded by the Italian Space Agency. The research specifically delves into the synergistic potential of a multi-frequency/multi-mission (MFMM) approach to detect and identify vessels, a facet relatively unexplored in previous studies. Four technical objectives drive the study, including the detection of both visible and non-visible non-cooperating ships and their classification using SAR tomography techniques, as well as AIS/SAR data matching with velocity estimation. This research promises to enhance maritime domain awareness and security by furthering our understanding of SAR-based vessel detection and classification methodologies.