Wide-Angle Multistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar: Focused Image Formation and Aliasing Artifact Mitigation

Abstract

Traditional monostatic Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) platforms force the user to choose between two image types: larger, low resolution images or smaller, high resolution images. Switching to a Wide-Angle Multistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar (WAM-SAR) approach allows formation of large high-resolution images. Unfortunately, WAM-SAR suffers from two significant implementation problems. First, wavefront curvature effects, non-linear flight paths, and warped ground planes lead to image defocusing with traditional SAR processing methods. A new 3-D monostatic/bistatic image formation routine solves the defocusing problem, correcting for all relevant wide-angle effects. Inverse SAR (ISAR) imagery from a Radar Cross Section (RCS) chamber validates this approach. The second implementation problem stems from the large Doppler spread in the wide-angle scene, leading to severe aliasing problems. This research effort develops a new anti-aliasing technique using randomized Stepped-Frequency (SF) waveforms to form Doppler filter nulls coinciding with aliasing artifact locations. Both simulation and laboratory results demonstrate effective performance, eliminating more than 99% of the aliased energy.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA437146

Entities

People

  • Jonathan E. Luminati

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Beam Steering
  • Cartesian Coordinates
  • Computational Science
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Detectors
  • Doppler Effect
  • Electromagnetic Scattering
  • Frequency Bands
  • Geometry
  • Radar
  • Target Recognition
  • Three Dimensional
  • Two Dimensional
  • Wave Propagation
  • Waveforms

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Image Processing and Computer Vision.
  • Radar Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Space Objects