Study for Material Identification via Synthetic Aperture Radar
Abstract
Recent advances in the understanding of the interactions of radiofrequency waveforms with different materials have yielded the potential of performing remote identification of different materials within synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. The immediate reflections from typical targets and foliage are not unique with regard to differing material compositions - it is only the much weaker precursor signals that contain the required discrimination information. In effect, the immediate returned radar energy from neighboring foliage is likely to obscure precursor signatures that provide for the identification of specific materials, unless sophisticated signal processing algorithms are developed and applied in order to extract this fragile information. SAIC has developed a multi-delay-resolution processing technique that offers to separate the delayed radar echoes resulting from different material reflectors for the purpose of performing remote characterization of material objects. This technique separates "immediate reflection" echoes in an image from echoes that are the result of delayed material echoes and then maps each set of reflections to a metrically correct image space. SAIC's technique addresses the challenging problem of separating the relatively weak radar returns due to the delayed material echoes from those of the background clutter environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 29, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA433695
Entities
People
- David A. Garren