Edge detection and localisation in SAR images:: a comparative study of global filtering and active contour approaches

We adress the problem of edge detection in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and we particulary focus on the precision with which the frontier of an object can be determined. Recently, an edge detection global filter has been proposed. It involves a two-region analyzing window whose properties greatly influence its efficiency. In this paper, we will study the filter detection and localisation abilities as functions of the analyzing window geometry, namely its shape, size and orientation. We will then introduce another approach to segment an object in a SAR image: the statistical active contour. The spatial precision of these two approaches will be finally compared and discussed.