On the Potential of Empirical Mode Decomposition for RFI Mitigation in Microwave Radiometry

Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) is an increasing problem particularly for Earth Observation using Microwave Radiometry. RFI has been observed, example, at L-band by the ESA’s SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) Explorer NASA’s SMAP Active Passive) Aquarius missions, as well C-band AMSR-E AMRS-2; 10.7 GHz 18.7 AMSR-E, AMRS-2, WindSat GMI [1], [2]. Therefore, systems dedicated to interference detection removal of contaminated measurements are nowadays a must in order improve radiometric accuracy reduce loss spatial coverage caused interference. In this work, feasibility Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) technique mitigation explored. The EMD, also known Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT), algorithm that decomposes signal into Intrinsic Functions (IMF). achieved performance analyzed, opportunities caveats type methods present described. EMD found be practical method, albeit presenting some limitations, considerable complexity. Nevertheless, conditions, exhibits better than other commonly used (such frequency binning). particular, it performs affecting < 25% lower part Intermediate (IF) bandwidth.