Iterative MMSE method and recurrent Kalman procedure for ISAR imagereconstruction

This work presents a novel approximate iterative and recurrent approach for image reconstruction from inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) data. Mathematical models of the quadrature components of the ISAR signal, reflected by an object with a complex geometry, are devised. Approximation matrix functions are used to describe deterministic signals reflected by point scatterers located at nodes of the uniform grid (model) during inverse aperture synthesis. Minimum mean square error (MMSE) equations and Kalman equations are derived. To prove the validity and correctness of the developed iterative MMSE method and recurrent Kalman procedure, numerical experiments were performed. The computational results demonstrate high resolution images, unambiguous and convergent estimates of the point scatterers' intensities of a target from simulated ISAR data     

An efficient 3-D near-field ISAR algorithm

This paper presents a new three-dimensional (3-D) near-field inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging technique. A 3-D ISAR image can be obtained by processing coherently the backscattered fields as a function of the frequency and two rotation angles about axes which are mutually orthogonal. Most of the existing ISAR algorithms are based on the Fourier transform and as such can tolerate only small amounts of wavefront curvature. Wavefront curvature must be taken into account when imaging an object in the near-field. Near-field ISAR imaging of large objects using a direct Fourier inversion may result in images which are increasingly unfocused at points which are more distant from the center of rotation. An algorithm based on an azimuth convolution between a near-field focusing function and the frequency domain backscattered fields is discussed. This convolution is efficiently implemented by using fast Fourier transform (FFT) techniques. Furthermore, in order to further alleviate the computational load of the algorithm, the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the focusing function is evaluated by means of the stationary phase method. Experimental results show that this technique is precise and virtually impulse invariant     

High resolution reconstruction of ISAR images

A 2-D high-resolution spectral analysis algorithm with application to an inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging, is presented. This algorithm is based on two-dimensional linear prediction using autoregressive (AR) coefficients. Stability is guaranteed by AR process pole adjustment. An ISAR target is modeled for a complex scatterer geometry. Computer simulation results are provided for the high-resolution reconstruction of ISAR images     

ISAR imaging using an emulated multistatic radar system

The use of a monostatic radar configuration limits the ability of an inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) system to image targets in certain geometries. By employing multistatic geometries this limitation may be overcome. This paper discusses the emulation of multistatic geometries, via sea surface multipath reflections, using a monostatic system. This application capitalises on the advantages provided by both monostatic and bistatic systems. The possibility of obtaining ISAR images using these emulated multistatic radar configurations is first theoretically discussed and then verified using experimental results.     

机动目标的逆合成孔径雷达成像

 逆合成孔径雷达(ISAR)和合成孔径雷达 (SAR)都是利用目标 (场景)与雷达的相对运动,提高横向分辨率,实现对目标 (场景 )的成像。SAR的运动方是雷达平台,可控制作平稳飞行,且用仪器测校其偏离误差;ISAR的运动方通常是非合作目标,运动不受控制,且难以精确测量。当目标作机动飞行时,以目标作固定基准,雷达等效地在空间形成流形复杂的逆合成孔径 (阵列 ),对这种情况下成像的问题进行了系统的研究。     

表面粗糙的复杂目标全极化ISAR图像快速仿真

为了获取基于模板图像的车辆、飞机等复杂目标识别所需的海量高质量逆合成孔径雷达(ISAR)图像,提出了表面粗糙的复杂目标全极化ISAR图像快速仿真方法。该方法预先对车辆和飞机等复杂目标表面粗糙程度进行分级定量描述,并以改进的射线弹跳法和等效边缘流法快速预估来自目标粗糙表面的镜面反射和多次反射贡献以及细分边缘的绕射贡献,经相干叠加获得目标的精确电磁散射数据,最后进行成像处理得到高质量全极化ISAR图像。标准体、飞机和车辆目标的仿真实验结果验证了该方法的准确性和有效性。     

ISAR imaging of targets at low elevation angles

The problem of inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) image reconstruction of targets at low elevation angle is considered. In this geometric condition the main causes affecting the reconstructed ISAR image are the multipath effect due to the reflection of the Earth's surface and the angular motions of the target produced by external action like wind, fast maneuvering, and sea waves as in the case of ships. The aim of this work is to analyze the effects that the multipath and the target angular motions jointly produce on the ISAR image. The results show that multipath generates some artifacts in the image whereas the target oscillations undergo a spatial-dependent blurring of the point spread function of the ISAR system. These theoretical results are validated by presenting some numerical examples relevant to aircrafts and ships in rectilinear or circular motion. A wide discussion on possible solutions of this problem is made in the conclusion     

基于修正离散Chirp-Fourier变换的高速目标ISAR距离像补偿

分析了高速运动目标的逆合成孔径雷达（ISAR）回波信号模型和高速运动对ISAR信号处理的影响。结果表明,高速运动特征会导致目标一维距离像的畸变和二维像的模糊。为此,提出了一种基于修正离散Chirp Fourier变换（MDCFT）的高速运动目标距离像补偿算法,采用MDCFT谱包络最小Shannon熵准则进行参数估计,可解决幅度最大准则下参数估计性能恶化的问题。仿真结果表明了该距离像补偿算法的有效性。     

基于AR模型参数双谱估计的超分辨ISAR成像

利用双谱分析方法，用非高斯AR模型对雷达目标回波信号进行参数化双谱估计，并在此基础上对数据进行外推处理，然后对数据进行ISAR成像。仿真和实测数据实验表明，本文的处理方法比传统的ISAR成像分辨力有明显的提高，且运算量不大，满足ISAR的实时或者准实时成像要求。     

Time-frequency approaches to ISAR imaging of maneuvering targetsand their limitations

Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging of the noncooperative maneuvering target is a challenging task because of its time variant orientation and rotation velocity which cannot be measured accurately. This correspondence investigates the principles of ISAR imaging of maneuvering targets, and proposes an algorithm for application in situations where the maneuverability is not too severe and the Doppler variation of subechoes from scatterers can be approximated as a first-order polynomial. The imaging results obtained by using real data show the effectiveness of the new method     

Identifying the number of aircraft in formation flight using ISAR technique

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Quantitative SNR analysis for ISAR imaging using jointtime-frequency analysis-Short time Fourier transform

V.C. Chen recently presented an inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging technique using the joint time-frequency analysis (JTFA), which has been shown having a better performance for maneuvering targets over the conventional Fourier transform method. The main reason is because the frequencies of the radar returns of the maneuvering targets are time varying and a JTFA is a technique that is suitable for such signals, in particular a JTFA may concentrate a wideband signal, such as a chirp, while it spreads noise. We quantitatively study the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the ISAR imaging using one of the typical JTFA techniques, namely the short time Fourier transform (STFT). We show that the SNR increases in the joint time-frequency (TF) domain over the one in the time or the frequency domain alone both theoretically and numerically. This quantitatively shows the advantage of the JTFA technique for the ISAR imaging     

线性调频步进雷达ISAR信号特性及成像

文章在建立了线性调频步进ISAR回波信号模型的基础上,对线性调频步进雷达ISAR信号特性进行了详细的分析,指出了由径向速度和转动速度所引起的耦合项、一次项和二次项对距离合成高分辨和方位聚焦的影响;给出了线性调频步进雷达ISAR成像的详细步骤,并用仿真论证了文章分析的可靠性。     

基于脉冲交错的数字阵列雷达任务优化调度算法

针对数字阵列雷达搜索、跟踪和成像任务的资源调度问题,提出一种数字阵列雷达(DAR)任务的优化调度算法。该算法以脉冲交错技术为基础,在对目标搜索与跟踪的同时,利用基于压缩感知的稀疏孔径认知逆合成孔径雷达(ISAR)成像方法对部分精密跟踪目标成像,并采用观测时间动态调整策略以提高雷达系统的自适应能力。仿真结果表明,与传统雷达资源调度算法相比,该算法可以将成像任务考虑到优化调度模型中并合理分配资源,实现雷达多任务并行的调度,获得更高的资源利用率与期望的成像质量。     

Automatic recognition of ISAR ship images

Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) produces images of ships at sea which human operators can be trained to recognize. Because ISAR uses the ship's own varying angular motions (roll, pitch, and yaw) for cross-range resolution, the viewing aspect and cross-range scale factor are continually changing on time scales of a few seconds. This and other characteristics of ISAR imaging make the problem of automatic recognition of ISAR images quite distinct from the recognition of optical images. The nature of ISAR imaging of ships, and single-frame and multiple-frame techniques for segmentation, feature extraction, and classification are described. Results are shown which illustrate a capability for automatic recognition of ISAR ship imagery     

Time windowing for highly focused ISAR image reconstruction

In several applications long recorded live inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) data are used to obtain one or more ISAR images. In order to reconstruct a well-focused ISAR image, a suitable selection of the echoes to be coherently processed must be provided. Such a selection can be made by defining a time window. We propose a technique for the automatic selection of the position and length of the time window that provides the ISAR image with the highest focus. The technique, namely the maximum contrast based automatic time window selection (MC-ATWS), is based on the definition of image contrast (IC). Due to the fact that the IC is a measure of the image focus, the time window is selected by maximizing the IC. The technique effectiveness is tested by using simulated and real data.     

Dynamic imaging and RCS measurements of aircraft

Results on radar cross section (RCS) measurements and inverse synthetic aperture radar images of a Mooney 231 aircraft using a ground-to-air measurement system (GTAMS) and a KC-135 airplane using an airborne radar are presented. The Mooney 231 flew in a controlled path in both clockwise and counterclockwise orbits, and successively with the gear down, flaps in the take-off position and with the speed brakes up. The data indicates that RCS pattern measurements from both ground-based and airborne radar of flying aircraft are useful and that the inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images obtained are valuable for signature diagnostics     

Precision tracking algorithms for ISAR imaging

The simultaneous imaging and tracking of a moving target is one of the most difficult problems in inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) signal processing. The problem is addressed here using a two-antenna imaging radar. The target range shift is sensed with an exponentially averaged envelope correlation algorithm while the angle change is measured with a differential phase shift algorithm. The three state Kalman filters are used in range and azimuth dimensions to provide both a filtered estimate and a one-sample-ahead prediction for the purpose of target tracking. The filtered range shift provides an accurate information for range bin alignment, and the target angle change provides the angular positions of the synthetic array elements. Therefore, the ISAR imaging simply becomes processing of a circular-arc aperture. The algorithms are verified both by computer simulations and also with experimental data processing     

Imaging of point scatterers from step-frequency ISAR data

A high-resolution method for imaging of point scatterers from step-frequency inverse synthetic-aperture radar (ISAR) data is presented. An analysis of the noise sensitivity of the method is provided to show the high performance of the method. Simulation results are given to show the robustness of the method against model errors     

GRS 2002: German Radar Symposium in Bonn, Germany

The German Radar Symposium (GRS 2002), organized jointly by the German Institute of Navigation (DGON) and by the Information Technology Society (VDE-ITG), attracted wide interest in the international radar community. It was held from September 3-5, 2002, in Bonn, the former capital city of Germany. The GRS 2002 programme covered a large scale of important radar topics. All classical topics like air traffic control, CFAR, antenna technology, signal processing and simulation papers have been presented and new results were demonstrated. These topics were combined with new applications like meteorology, subsurface, and automotive to underline the increase of interest in radar technology. Phased array antennas are the key elements of high performance multi-function radar systems which are studied all over the world. SAR and ISAR are, nowadays, essential radar techniques for civil and military observation and monitoring.