Optimal speckle reduction in polarimetric SAR imagery

Speckle is a major cause of degradation in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. With the availability of fully polarimetric SAR data, it is possible to use the three complex elements (HH, HV, VV) of the polarimetric scattering matrix to reduce speckle. The optimal method for combining the elements of the scattering matrix to minimize image speckle is derived, and the solution is shown to be a polarimetric whitening filter (PWF). A simulation of spatially correlated, K-distributed, fully polarimetric clutter is then used to compare the PWF with other, suboptimal speckle-reduction methods. Target detection performance of the PWF, span, and single-channel |HH|² detectors is compared with that of the optimal polarimetric detector (OPD). A novel, constant-false-alarm-rate (CFAR) detector (the adaptive PWF) is as a simple alternative to the OPD for detecting targets in clutter. This algorithm estimates the polarization covariance of the clutter, uses the covariance to construct the minimum-speckle image, and then tests for the presence of a target. An exact theoretical analysis of the adaptive PWF is presented; the algorithm is shown to have detection performance comparable with that of the OPD     

Target detection with synthetic aperture radar

Target detection with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is considered. We derive generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) detection algorithms that may be used with SAR images that are obtained with coherent subtraction or have Gaussian distributions. We analytically compare the performance of (1) a single pixel detector, (2) a detector using complete knowledge of the target signature information and known orientation information, (3) a detector using incomplete knowledge of the target signature information and known orientation information (4) a detector using unknown target signature information and known orientation information, and (5) a detector using unknown target signature information and unknown orientation information     

Improved SAR target detection via extended fractal features

The utility of the extended fractal (EF) feature is evaluated for the enhancement of the focus of attention (FOA) stage of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR) system. Unlike more traditional SAR detection features that distinguish target pixels from the background only on the basis of contrast, the EF feature is sensitive to both the contrast and size of objects. Furthermore, the structure for the EF feature computational algorithm lends itself to very fast implementation, and it can be shown that the new feature has a CFAR-like (constant false alarm rate) property. We demonstrate the improved performance using the new feature by testing a number of different detection approaches over two databases of SAR imagery     

Theory of partially adaptive radar

This work extends the recently introduced cross-spectral metric for subspace selection and dimensionality reduction to partially adaptive space-time sensor array processing. A general methodology is developed for the analysis of reduced-dimension detection tests with known and unknown covariance. It is demonstrated that the cross-spectral metric results in a low-dimensional detector which provides nearly optimal performance when the noise covariance is known. It is also shown that this metric allows the dimensionality of the detector to be reduced below the dimension of the noise subspace eigenstructure without significant loss. This attribute provides robustness in the subspace selection process to achieve reduced-dimensional target detection. Finally, it is demonstrated that the cross-spectral subspace reduced-dimension detector can outperform the full-dimension detector when the noise covariance is unknown, closely approximating the performance of the matched filter.     

FrFT-CSWSF:Estimating cross-range velocities of ground moving targets using multistatic synthetic aperture radar

Estimating cross-range velocity is a challenging task for space-borne synthetic aperture radar（SAR）, which is important for ground moving target indication（GMTI）. Because the velocity of a target is very small compared with that of the satellite, it is difficult to correctly estimate it using a conventional monostatic platform algorithm. To overcome this problem, a novel method employing multistatic SAR is presented in this letter. The proposed hybrid method, which is based on an extended space-time model（ESTIM） of the azimuth signal, has two steps： first, a set of finite impulse response（FIR） filter banks based on a fractional Fourier transform（FrFT） is used to separate multiple targets within a range gate; second, a cross-correlation spectrum weighted subspace fitting（CSWSF） algorithm is applied to each of the separated signals in order to estimate their respective parameters. As verified through computer simulation with the constellations of Cartwheel, Pendulum and Helix, this proposed time-frequency-subspace method effectively improves the estimation precision of the cross-range velocities of multiple targets.     

一种新的广义Gamma分布下的SAR图像目标检测算法

针对合成孔径雷达(SAR)图像舰船目标检测中全局广义Gamma分布虚警数量较多的问题,文章采用了一种新的基于核密度估计(KDE)的广义Gamma分布下的SAR图像舰船目标检测算法。新的算法结合了SAR图像的强度分布和空间散布分布,形成新的组合分布。在组合分布的基础上,完成SAR图像目标检测。首先,介绍了广义Gamma的分布模型;然后,通过核密度估计的方法估计各像素点的散布分布,结合散布分布和强度分布形成组合分布,对组合分布采用SISE方程的方法估计广义Gamma分布的参数,根据确定的广义Gamma分布的表达式,求出阈值T的解析式。通过求解逆不完全Gamma函数得到检测阈值,进而完成舰船目标的检测。通过实测SAR图像检测实验,对比文章算法与双参数检测算法和基于广义Gamma分布检测算法,验证了该算法的适用性。     

基于子空间投影的未知背景航拍高光谱图像恒虚警目标检测

针对航拍高光谱图像中未知背景地物特征条件下小目标的检测问题,给出一种检测算法。利用目标的低概率特性,通过模糊聚类获取高光谱图像中背景的光谱特性;然后将高光谱数据向背景光谱信号的正交子空间及目标信号子空间投影以抑制背景和噪声信号;最后在特征层利用广义似然比检验构造出具有恒虚警特性的检测器,完成融合检测过程。理论分析和实验结果表明了算法的有效性。     

基于杂波对消-自聚焦的多通道SAR-GMTI

对超高频(UHF)波段多通道合成孔径雷达(SAR)动目标检测技术进行研究,解决了长相干积累时间导致动目标在方位向散焦严重的问题。采用分块自聚焦技术对多通道SAR地面移动目标指示(GMTI)系统自适应杂波抑制后的SAR图像进行处理,改善杂波抑制后的SAR图像中动目标的聚焦情况,增强动目标与周围剩余杂波的对比度,进而提高恒虚警率(CFAR)检测的性能。与传统杂波抑制后直接进行CFAR检测方法相比较,该方法降低了检测虚警概率。实测数据处理结果显示动目标的信杂比明显提高,动目标方位向聚焦成功,证明了该方法的有效性。     

Spatial adaptive subspace detection in OTH radar

The work presented here addresses the problem of target detection against spatially structured interference composed of jamming plus noise, where for practical reasons, the received target wavefront may also deviate from the traditional plane wave model. This detection problem arises in over-the-horizon (OTH) radar systems where spatially distributed targets often compete for detection against directional interference that is spread over the entire range-Doppler search space. Conventional detection processing schemes are compared with a recently proposed adaptive subspace detector (ASD) that takes both the spatial structure of the interference and the possibility of target wavefront distortions into account. Experimental array data recorded by the Jindalee sky-wave and Iluka surface-wave OTH radar systems, located in central and northern Australia respectively, is used to evaluate detection performance.     

Bayesian edge detector for SAR imagery using discontinuity-adaptive Markov random feld modeling

Synthetic aperture radar（SAR）image is severely affected by multiplicative speckle noise,which greatly complicates the edge detection.In this paper,by incorporating the discontinuityadaptive Markov random feld（DAMRF）and maximum a posteriori（MAP）estimation criterion into edge detection,a Bayesian edge detector for SAR imagery is accordingly developed.In the proposed detector,the DAMRF is used as the a priori distribution of the local mean reflectivity,and a maximum a posteriori estimation of it is thus obtained by maximizing the posteriori energy using gradient-descent method.Four normalized ratios constructed in different directions are computed,based on which two edge strength maps（ESMs）are formed.The fnal edge detection result is achieved by fusing the results of two thresholded ESMs.The experimental results with synthetic and real SAR images show that the proposed detector could effciently detect edges in SAR images,and achieve better performance than two popular detectors in terms of Pratt＇s fgure of merit and visual evaluation in most cases.     

基于杂波子空间估计的MIMO雷达降维STAP研究

 多输入多输出(MIMO)雷达是近年来出现的一种新体制雷达,针对MIMO体制的机载雷达开展空时自适应处理（STAP）技术研究是值得进一步努力的方向。本文研究了机载MIMO雷达STAP技术的降维算法,通过对STAP技术杂波抑制原理进行分析,推导并得到一种基于杂波子空间的降维算法。结合扁长椭球波函数（PSWF）的特点,提出了一种基于杂波子空间估计的降维算法,并与若干降维算法的杂波抑制性能进行比较。结果表明,当存在阵元幅相误差时,该算法在保持杂波抑制性能的同时能够有效地降低STAP算法的运算量。     

Parallel Distributed CFAR Detection Optimization Based on Genetic Algorithm with Interval Encoding

Aiming at parallel distributed constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detection employing K/N fusion rule, an optimization algorithm based on the genetic algorithm with interval encoding is proposed. N-1 local probabilities of false alarm are selected as optimization variables. And the encoding intervals for local false alarm probabilities are sequentially designed by the person-by-person optimization technique according to the constraints. By turning constrained optimization to unconstrained optimization, the problem of increasing iteration times due to the punishment technique frequently adopted in the genetic algorithm is thus overcome. Then this optimization scheme is applied to spacebased synthetic aperture radar (SAR) multi-angle collaborative detection, in which the nominal factor for each local detector is determined. The scheme is verified with simulations of cases including two, three and four independent SAR systems. Besides, detection performances with varying K and N are compared and analyzed.     

Matched subspace CFAR detection of hovering helicopters

A constant false alarm rate (CFAR) strategy for detecting a Gaussian distributed random signal against correlated non-Gaussian clutter is developed. The proposed algorithm is based on Scharf's matched subspace detector (MSD) and has the CFAR property with respect to the clutter amplitude probability density function (apdf), provided that the clutter distribution belongs to the compound-Gaussian family and the clutter covariance matrix is known to within a scale factor. Analytical expressions of false alarm and detection probabilities are derived. An application to the problem of detecting hovering helicopters against vegetated ground clutter is reported     

基于双边截断的双参数海上风电站 SAR图像 CFAR检测

文章提出了 1种基于双边截断的双参数海上风电站 SAR图像 CFAR检测器 DTCS-TPCFAR,目的是提高在具有多个目标海上区域和石油泄漏区域等环境下对海上风电站的检测性能。DTCS-TPCFAR所提出的双边截断杂波的方法,能够同时消除高强度和低强度异常值的干扰,同时保留真实的杂波样本。通过使用最大似然估计计算双边截断后样本的均值和标准差,然后通过这 2个参数估计值计算出截断阈值,最后再结合指定的虚警率(Probability of False Alarm,PFA)来对测试单元(Test Cell,TC)进行判断,完成最终的目标检测。这也是首次将 CFAR检测器用于检测海上风电站。文章通过 Sentinel-1数据集来验证该方法的有效性。实验结果表明,文章所提出的算法在相同指定虚警率下,具有更高的检测率(Detection Rate,DR)和更低的误报率(False Alarm Rate,FAR)。     

Design and analysis of a knowledge-aided radar detector for doppler processing

In this paper we discuss the combined use of a priori information and adaptive signal processing techniques for the design and the analysis of a knowledge-aided (KA) radar receiver for Doppler processing. To this end, resorting to the generalized likelihood function (GLF) criterion (both one-step and two-step), we design and assess data-adaptive procedures for the selection of training data. Then we introduce a KA radar detector composed of three elements: a geographic-map-based data selector, which exploits some a priori information concerning the topography of the observed scene, a data-adaptive training selector which removes dynamic outliers from the training data, and an adaptive radar detector which performs the final decision about the target presence. The performance of the KA algorithm is analyzed both on simulated as well as on real radar data collected by the McMaster University IPIX radar. The results show that the new KA system achieves a satisfactory performance level and can outperform some previously proposed adaptive detection schemes     

航拍高光谱图像中基于投影的自动目标检测算法

针对未知环境条件下的高光谱图像目标检测问题进行了研究，提出了一种基于投影的自动目标检测算法。该算法通过构造正交投影算子预先对部分干扰物信息进行削弱，再以无监督的自动目标搜寻方法找到场景中可能的目标物，将图像数据向可能目标物所张成的子空间投影以增强目标物的信息，然后用匹配的方法完成检测。有效减弱了干扰物对目标检测的影响，缩小了目标搜索的范围。应用此算法对实验采集数据进行处理，取得了较好的结果。     

SAR image formation via semiparametric spectral estimation

A new algorithm, referred to as the SPAR (Semiparametric) algorithm, is presented herein for target feature extraction and complex image formation via synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The algorithm is based on a flexible data model that models each target scatterer as a two-dimensional (2-D) complex sinusoid with arbitrary unknown amplitude and constant phase in cross-range and with constant amplitude and phase in range. By attempting to deal with one corner reflector, such as one dihedral or trihedral, at a time, the algorithm can be used to effectively mitigate the artifacts in the SAR images due to the flexible data model. Another advantage of SPAR is that it can be used to obtain initial conditions needed by other parametric target feature extraction methods to reduce the total amount of computations needed. Both numerical and experimental examples are provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm     

Modeling and a Correlation Algorithm for Spaceborne SAR Signals

A mathematical model of a spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) response is presented. The associated SAR system performance, in terms of the resolution capability, is also discussed. The analysis of spaceborne SAR target response indicates that the SAR correlation problem is a two-dimensional one with a linear shift-variant response function. A new digital processing algorithm is proposed here in order to realize an economical digital SAR correlation system. The proposed algorithm treats the two-dimensional correlation by a combination of frequency domain fast correlation in the azimuth dimension and a time-domain convolver type of operation in the range dimension. Finally, digitally correlated SEASAT satellite SAR imagery is used in an exemplary sense to validate the SAR response model and the new digital processing technique developed.     

Prescreening during image formation for ultrawideband radar

Standard radar image formation techniques waste computational resources by full resolving all areas of the scene, even regions of benign clutter. We introduce a multiscale prescreener algorithm that runs as part of the image formation processing step for ultrawideband (UWB) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. The prescreener processes intermediate radar data generated by a quadtree backprojection image former. As the quadtree algorithm iterates, it is resolving increasingly finer subpatches of the scene. After each quadtree stage, the prescreener makes an estimate of the signal-to-background ratio of each subpatch and applies a constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detector to decide which ones might contain a target of interest. Whenever the prescreener determines that a subpatch is not near a detection, it cues the image former to terminate further processing of that subpatch. Using a small database of UWB radar field data, we demonstrate that the prescreener is able to decrease the overall computational load of the image formation process. We also show that the new multiscale prescreener method produces fewer false alarms than the conventional two-parameter CFAR prescreener applied to the completely formed image     

A CFAR adaptive matched filter detector

An adaptive algorithm for radar target detection using an antenna array is proposed. The detector is derived in a manner similar to that of the generalized likelihood-ratio test (GLRT) but contains a simplified test statistic that is a limiting case of the GLRT detector. This simplified detector is analyzed for performance to signals on boresight, as well as when the signal direction is misaligned with the look direction