Combined Phase Unwrapping Algorithm based on Quality-Guided and Minimum Discontinuity

Phase unwrapping is one of the key problems in a great number of applications. To decrease the errors caused by quality-guided algorithms and accelerate the efficiency of minimum discontinuity algorithms, a combined phase unwrapping algorithm is proposed. The process of unwrapping is divided into two steps. First, the quality-guided algorithm is performed on the original wrapped phase image, which helps to remove all the discontinuities caused by the wrapping operation. Second, the minimum discontinuity algorithm is taken to remove the remaining improving loop which is defined as a loop with more positive jumps than negative ones on the result of the first step. The tests performed on interferometric SAR data demonstrate that the proposed algorithm works well and is effective.