Enhancing Image Resolution: A Simulation Study and Sensitivity Analysis of System Parameters for Resourcesat-3S/3SA

TL;DR

This paper investigates how system parameters affect image resolution in Resourcesat-3S/3SA satellite using simulation and sensitivity analysis, focusing on super-resolution techniques to improve remote sensing imagery.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive simulation framework and sensitivity analysis for optimizing super-resolution in Resourcesat-3S/3SA, applicable to future remote sensing satellites.

Findings

Resolution is significantly affected by system parameters like SNR and pixel alignment.

Super-resolution effectively enhances image detail by combining multiple low-resolution images.

Simulation results guide parameter optimization for improved satellite image resolution.

Abstract

Resourcesat-3S/3SA, an upcoming Indian satellite, is designed with Aft and Fore payloads capturing stereo images at look angles of -5deg and 26deg, respectively. Operating at 632.6 km altitude, it features a panchromatic (PAN) band offering a Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) of 1.25 meters and a 60 km swath. To balance swath width and resolution, an Instantaneous Geometric Field of View (IGFOV) of 2.5 meters is maintained while ensuring a 1.25-meter GSD both along and across track. Along-track sampling is achieved through precise timing, while across-track accuracy is ensured by using two staggered pixel arrays. Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is enhanced through Time Delay and Integration (TDI), employing two five-stage subarrays spaced 80 {\mu}m apart along the track, with a 4 {\mu}m (0.5 pixel) stagger in the across-track direction to achieve 1.25-meter resolution. To further boost resolution, the satellite employs super-resolution (SR), combining multiple low-resolution captures using sub-pixel shifts to produce high-resolution images. This technique, effective when images contain aliased high-frequency details, reconstructs full-resolution imagery using phase information from multiple observations, and has been successfully applied in remote sensing missions like SPOT-5, SkySat, and DubaiSat-1. A Monte Carlo simulation explores the factors influencing the resolution in Resourcesat-3S/3SA, with sensitivity analysis highlighting key impacts. The simulation methodology is broadly applicable to other remote sensing missions, optimizing SR for enhanced image clarity and resolution in future satellite systems.