An Efficient Method for Evaluating the Feasibility of Spaceborne SAR for Ocean Ship Detection

This letter presents an effective method for assessing the feasibility of detecting ocean ships using spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The technique employs the minimum detectable radar cross-section criterion under specified false alarm and detection probabilities. The benefits of the proposed method are illustrated by evaluating the feasibility of detecting small ships with SAR from a satellite in very low Earth orbit.