<title>Parallel processing technology for large-scale production of synthetic aperature radar imagery</title>

Abstract

This paper presents a case study in using parallel processing technology for large-scale production of Foliage Penetration (FOPEN) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. The initial version of the FOPEN SAR image formation software ran on a Unix workstation. The research-grade parallel image formation software was transitioned into a full-scale remote processing facility resulting in a significant improvement in processing speed. The primary goal of this effort was to increase the production rate of calibrated, wellfocused SAR imagery, but an important secondary objective was to gain insight into the capabilities and limitations of high performance parallel platforms. This paper discusses lessons that were learned in transitioning and utilizing the research-grade image formation code in a "turn key" production setting, and discusses configuration control and image quality metrics.