Sparse Array Radiometric Imaging (SARI) using an Electronic Mirror
Abstract
All-weather, covert, millimeter-wave surveillance deployed on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) would offer a new, highly desirable capability for a wide range of both military and commercial applications. Conventional focal plane imaging systems have failed to provide such a capability with adequate spatial resolution to make deployment attractive. Increasing antenna aperture through conventional sparse-aperture synthesis, as utilized in radio astronomy, has also failed due to the required number of antenna elements and the associated weight and power loads. IR&T has proposed a radical, new concept -- beam-steerable, sparse aperture, interferometric imaging. In this concept IR&T has significantly reduced the total number of required antenna elements (and thereby the associated power, weight, computational load, etc.) while maintaining image resolution and field of regard (FOR). This is achieved through the introduction of "electronic mirrors" to synchronously steer fewer but larger individual antennae elements. The electronic mirror adds the necessary sophistication for successful application to a wide range of surveillance conditions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 31, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA359269
Entities
People
- W. A. Peebles