弹载合成孔径雷达自适应重频分析与设计

弹载合成孔径雷达(Synthetic Aperture Radar,SAR)的目标距离、视线角由于高速逼近目标而快速变化,这导致传统的固定脉冲重复频率(Pulse Repetition Frequency,PRF)(简称重频)波形难以兼顾弹载SAR雷达在成像各方面的约束条件,故需要根据当前弹体运动和弹目关系变化情况实时计算重频。详细分析了影响重频选择的各项因素,包括避免距离模糊、方位模糊、高度杂波、发射遮挡影响及SAR成像分辨率、系统相参性要求等影响因素,并设计了自适应重频计算的工作流程。某SAR雷达系统实验表明,该设计能够在实际飞行弹道条件下根据实际弹目关系自适应调整脉冲重复频率,从而更好地实现SAR雷达系统的工作性能,有效解决了固定重频波形不能适应弹载SAR工作条件的难题。     

自旋式飞行器三维SAR成像及测高新模型

 自旋式飞行器由于运动轨迹复杂,不仅不能精确测量飞行高度,而且从未被用做SAR成像平台。通过研究自旋式飞行器的三维SAR成像新模型,将测高与三维SAR成像相结合,提出了一种基于三维SAR成像的测高新模型。首先分析了自旋式飞行器天线相位中心运动轨迹的特点,将具有三维空间分布的半螺旋线天线运动轨迹等效为面阵天线;然后基于等效面阵,利用模糊函数理论,推导了相应的三维成像模型,从理论上证明了模型的成像可行性并分析其成像性能;最后在成像模型基础上,提出基于三维SAR成像的自旋式飞行器测高新模型,并从成像角度分析影响测高精度的因素。针对等效面阵非均匀分布的特点,采用后向投影(BP)算法仿真验证自旋式飞行器模型下三维成像的可行性和测高模型的有效性。     

VSAR: a high resolution radar system for ocean imaging

The velocity synthetic aperture radar (VSAR) is a conceptual synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-based sensor system for high resolution ocean imaging. The VSAR utilizes data collected by a multielement SAR system, to extract information not only about the radar reflectivity of the observed area, but also about the radial velocity of the scatterers in each pixel. This is accomplished by making use of the phase information contained in multiple SAR images, and not just the magnitude information as in conventional SAR. Using this velocity information, the VSAR attempts to compensate for the velocity distortion inherent in conventional SAR and to reconstruct the ocean reflectivity. We present the basic theory of the VSAR system and its performance. We also provide an analysis of the VSAR imaging mechanism for a statistical model of the radar returns, designed to capture the effects of speckle and of resolution degradation due to the decorrelation of the radar returns     

Depth of Field for SAR with Aircraft Acceleration

Processing synthetic array radar (SAR) data is difficult if the depth of field is small. Aircraft acceleration can severely reduce the depth of field and thereby increase the processing. The effects of aircraft acceleration on the depth of field for three types of SAR processing are analyzed: (1) conventional processing (range-Dopper processing), (2) variable pulse-repetition frequency (PRF) (PRF changes to compensate for aircraft acceleration), and (3) polar format. Polar format is a technique for processing high resolution SAR which has a much larger depth of field in the ground plane than conventional processing. On the other hand, aircraft acceleration will limit the vertical depth of field for polar format to about the same value as for conventional processing. In addition, for polar format, the only component of aircraft acceleration that limits the vertical depth of field is the component normal to the slant plane containing the velocity and range vectors. Vector notation is used to graphically show the effects of aircraft acceleration. In addition to better insight, the vector notation gives equations for SAR compensation that do not depend on a specific coordinate system.     

一种改进的FMCW SAR RD成像算法

FMCWSAR将调频连续波与合成孔径成像技术结合于一体,是一种新近被提出来的成像雷达体制,它以其体积小、重量轻、成本低、分辨率高等一系列优点,引起越来越多的关注。然而,在FMCWSAR系统中,雷达连续不断地发射信号,调制信号周期相对较长,停一走（STOP AND GO）近似不再成立,所以要用合适的算法来实现成像。针对FMCW SAR的特点,详细推导了停一走近似失效时FMCW SAR的信号模型及处理过程,提出了一种改进的RD算法。此方法是通过补偿连续运动引入的多普勒频移,消除连续运动的影响。     

一种提高距离分辨率的FMCW SAR RD成像算法

调频连续波合成孔径雷达（FMCW SAR）是一种新近提出来的成像雷达体制,它结合调频连续波与合成孔径成像技术,具有体积小、重量轻、成本低、分辨率高等一系列优点。从频谱的角度进行分析,FMCW SAR的距离分辨率取决于频率测量分辨率。文章研究了一种FMCW SAR高距离分辨率成像算法——利用FFT得到差频信号谱峰的粗略范围,再对这一范围进行ChirpZ变换,从而实现距离高精度估计,并且避免了大的计算量。仿真结果表明该方法的有效性。     

P-3 ultra-wideband SAR: description and examples

Under the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA)/ASTO sponsorship, through a contract from the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) has developed an ultrawideband (UWB) very high frequency (VHF)/ultrahigh frequency (UHF) fully polarimetric airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for studying the detection of foliage-obscured objects. The radar is installed in the NAWC P-3 testbed aircraft and takes advantage of existing ERIM-built multimode, fully-polarimetric X/L/C-band SAR hardware. This paper describes the radar and presents some examples of its capabilities including polarimetric imagery and two-pass interferometric surface height estimates     

A Model for Generating Synthetic VHF SAR Forest Clutter Images

We propose a model for generating low-frequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) clutter that relates model parameters to physical characteristics of the scene. The model includes both distributed scattering and large-amplitude discrete clutter responses. The model also incorporates the SAR imaging process, which introduces correlation among image pixels. The model may be used to generate synthetic clutter for a range of environmental operating conditions for use in target detection performance evaluation of the radar and automatic target detection/recognition algorithms. We derive a statistical representation of the proposed clutter model's pixel amplitudes and compare with measured data from the CARABAS-II SAR. Simulated clutter images capture the structure and amplitude responses seen in the measured data. A statistical analysis shows an order of magnitude improvement in model fit error compared with standard maximum-likelihood (ML) density fitting methods.     

FOPEN SAR imaging using UWB step-frequency and random noisewaveforms

The detection and identification of targets obscured by foliage have been topics of great interest. Several synthetic aperture radar (SAR) experiments have demonstrated promising images of terrain and man-made objects obscured by dense foliage, by using either linear frequency modulation (LFM) or step-frequency waveforms. We present here the methodology and results of a comparative study on foliage penetration (FOPEN) SAR imaging using ultrawideband (UWB) step-frequency and random noise waveforms. A statistical-physical foliage transmission model is developed for simulation applications. The foliage obscuring pattern is analyzed by means of the technique of paired echoes. The results of the comparative study demonstrates the ability of a UHF band UWB random noise radar to be used as a FOPEN SAR. Advantages of the random noise radar system include covert detection and immunity to radio frequency interference (RFI)     

合成孔径雷达系统建模、仿真与信号处理初探

作为雷达技术发展历史中的里程碑,合成孔径雷达(SAR)通过使用空中合成天线阵列技术及先进的目标回波信号处理技术能够提供清晰的地球表面图像。由于它的这一突出特点,SAR已经成为许多飞行器的重要任务载荷并被广泛应用于军事及民用领域。从航空电子系统总体需求角度出发,为了深刻理解SAR系统的工作原理并得到更好的SAR图像产品,有必要对系统数学模型的建立、SAR回波信号的仿真以及信号处理算法进行深入的研究。本文试图从这三方面讨论SAR系统设计中的关键问题。     

Super resolution SAR imaging via parametric spectral estimationmethods

Super resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image formation via sophisticated parametric spectral estimation algorithms is considered. Parametric spectral estimation methods are devised based on parametric data models and are used to estimate the model parameters. Since SAR images rather than model parameters are often used in SAR applications, we use the parameter estimates obtained with the parametric methods to simulate data matrices of large dimensions and then use the fast Fourier transform (FFT) methods on them to generate SAR images with super resolution. Experimental examples using the MSTAR and Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) data illustrate that robust spectral estimation algorithms can generate SAR images of higher resolution than the conventional FFT methods and enhance the dominant target features     

Feature enhancement and ATR performance using nonquadratic optimization-based SAR imaging

We present an evaluation of the impact of a recently proposed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging technique on feature enhancement and automatic target recognition (ATR) performance. This image formation technique is based on nonquadratic optimization, and the images it produces appear to exhibit enhanced features. We quantify such feature enhancement through a number of criteria. The findings of our analysis indicate that the new feature-enhanced SAR image formation method provides images with higher resolution of scatterers, and better separability of different regions as compared with conventional SAR images. We also provide an ATR-based evaluation. We run recognition experiments using conventional and feature-enhanced SAR images of military targets, with three different classifiers. The first classifier is template based. The second classifier makes a decision through a likelihood test, based on Gaussian models for reflectivities. The third classifier is based on extracted locations of the dominant target scatterers. The experimental results demonstrate that the new feature-enhanced SAR imaging method can improve the recognition performance, especially in scenarios involving reduced data quality or quantity.     

准实时性前斜视INS/SAR组合导航滤波算法研究

为消除常规利用正侧视SAR图像辅助导航信息对惯性误差进行修正时的滞后影响,结合前斜视SAR成像工作特性,本文分析提出了新的准实时性组合导航滤波方案和算法,以解决SAR/INS组合导航系统中的量测滞后影响;本文分析了前斜视SAR成像辅助导航系统工作特点,分析了SAR量测输出模型;建立了准实时性前斜视INS/SAR组合导航滤波算法模型,并通过仿真分析了组合导航系统性能。仿真结果表明：采用所提出的惯性/SAR组合方案和算法,可以有效克服成规正侧视SAR辅助匹配输出滞后的影响,有效满足组合系统性能要求。     

Automatic target recognition using enhanced resolution SAR data

Using advanced technology, a new automatic target recognition (ATR) system has been developed that provides significantly improved target recognition performance compared with ATR systems that use conventional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image-processing techniques. This significant improvement in target recognition performance is achieved by using a new superresolution image-processing technique that enhances SAR image resolution (and image quality) prior to performing target recognition. A computationally efficient two-level implementation of a template-based classifier is used to perform target recognition. The improvement in target recognition performance achieved using superresolution image processing in this new ATR system is quantified     

Nonlinear apodization for sidelobe control in SAR imagery

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery often requires sidelobe control, or apodization, via weighting of the frequency domain aperture. This is of particular importance when imaging scenes containing objects such as ships or buildings having very large radar cross sections. Sidelobe improvement using spectral weighting is invariably at the expense of mainlobe resolution presented here is a class of nonlinear operators which significantly reduce sidelobe levels without degrading mainlobe resolution implementation is via sequential nonlinear operations applied to complex-valued (undetected) SAR imagery. SAR imaging is used to motivate the concepts developed in this work. However, these nonlinear apodization techniques have potentially broad and far-ranging applications in antenna design, sonar, digital filtering etc., i.e., whenever data can be represented as the Fourier transform of a finite-aperture signal     

雷达参数对SAR图像中Kelvin尾迹的影响

舰船尾迹的SAR成像受到船艇自身、海洋环境和SAR系统等多种因素的影响,其中起主要作用的是雷达参数的影响。文章重点对影响舰船Kelvin尾迹SAR成像的SAR系统参数进行了详细讨论和分析,其中包括极化方式、视向角、频率以及入射角对Kelvin尾迹的影响因素。给出了各种参数对尾迹成像的影响规律,通过此规律有助于下一步得出舰船尾迹的最佳观测条件。     

Trajectory deviations in airborne SAR: analysis and compensation

This paper concerns the analysis and compensation of trajectory deviations in airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. Analysis of the received data spectrum is carried out with respect to the system geometry in the presence of linear, sinusoidal, and general aircraft displacements. This shows that trajectory deviations generally produce spectral replicas along the azimuth frequency that strongly impair the quality of the focused image. Based on the derived model, we explain the rationale of the motion compensation (MOCO) strategy that must be applied at the SAR processing stage in order to limit the resolution loss. To this end aberration terms are separated into range space invariant and variant components. The former can be accounted for either in a preprocessing step or efficiently at range compression stage. The latter needs a prior accommodation of range migration effect. We design the procedure for efficient inclusion of the MOCO within a high precision scaled FT based SAR processing algorithm. Finally, we present results on simulated data aimed at validating the whole analysis and the proposed procedure     

基于SVD的R-T-S最优平滑在机载SAR运动补偿POS系统中的应用

 机载合成孔径雷达（SAR）运动补偿用位置姿态系统（POS）的导航精度直接影响SAR成像的效果。为进一步提高POS的导航精度和数值稳定性,提出将基于奇异值分解（SVD）的Rauch-Tung-Striebel（R-T-S）最优固定区间平滑应用于POS后处理中。在基于SVD的前向卡尔曼滤波（KF）的基础上,进行了基于SVD的后向R-T-S最优固定区间平滑,获得位置、速度和姿态的最优估计。该方法将原算法中均方误差阵进行奇异值分解,不仅具有很好的数值稳定性和鲁棒性,而且避免了矩阵的求逆。半物理仿真结果表明,该方法在导航精度和数据平滑度上明显优于目前工程中应用的KF,是一种有效的事后处理方法。     

High-resolution SAR imaging with angular diversity

We propose to use the APES (amplitude and phase estimation) approach for the spectral estimation of gapped data and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging with angular diversity. A relaxation-based algorithm, referred to as GAPES (Gapped-data APES), is proposed, which includes estimating the spectrum via APES and filling in the gaps via a least squares (LS) fitting. For SAR imaging with angular diversity data fusion, we perform one-dimensional (1-D) windowed fast Fourier transforms (FFTs) in range, use the GAPES algorithm to interpolate the gaps in the aperture for each range, apply 1-D inverse FFTs (IFFTs) and dewindow in range, and finally apply the two-dimensional (2-D) APES algorithm to the interpolated matrix to obtain the 2-D SAR image. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm