Parallel architectures for the postprocessing of SAR images

In this paper we have studied what performance can be obtained by mapping processing image algorithms on parallel architectures. For this reason we have focused our attention on a particular problem: we have studied a processing chain to detect ship wakes in SAR images. It allowed us to test low and medium level algorithms. Because of the noisy nature of SAR images great attention has been put on the choice of the most appropriate filtering technique. It has been done both through theoretical considerations on the nature of noise and experimental results on filtered images. The chain has been implemented on a sequential machine like MicroVAX II and on some parallel architectures based on eight transputers IMS T800. The performances obtained in this way have been discussed and some general considerations have been deduced from them.