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     

Wavelet preprocessing for high range resolution radarclassification

We develop a wavelet denoising scheme to aid an automatic target recognition (ATR) system in recognizing aircraft from high range resolution radar (HRR) signatures. A template matching classification technique is used with templates formed from synthetically generated signatures. The goal of the classification system is to achieve classification accuracy equivalent to that obtained with measured HRR signatures. Results suggest that a large portion of HRR signature content is nondiscriminatory. The wavelet denoising process removes the nondiscriminatory information, thereby leading to remarkable increases in classification accuracy. Results are shown for HRR signatures from six aircraft     

Taylor expansion of the differential range for monostatic SAR

The polar format algorithm (PFA) for spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is based on a linear approximation for the differential range to a scatterer. We derive a second-order Taylor series approximation of the differential range. We provide a simple and concise derivation of both the far-field linear approximation of the differential range, which forms the basis of the PFA, and the corresponding approximation limits based on the second-order terms of the approximation.     

Coherent Doppler tomography-a technique for narrow band SAR

Some concerns regarding a technique of narrowband synthetic aperture radar (N-SAR) imaging called coherent Doppler tomography (CDT), which may be a good candidate for spaceborne applications, are addressed. Using a single-frequency signal, are addressed. Using a single-frequency signal, resolution of two tenths of a wavelength can be achieved in the point spread function if the radar platform circles the ground path to be imaged. However, the high sidelobe level of -8-dB in the point spread function results in an unacceptable dynamic range. To reduce the sidelobe level, two approaches are presented: coherent processing using multiple discrete frequencies and noncoherent subaperture processing. Simulation results demonstrate that the sidelobe level is substantially reduced by both methods. However, the resolution is degraded and the computational overhead is greatly increased for noncoherent subaperture processing. Also presented is a possible satellite geometry configuration that could utilize N-SAR processing to provide high-resolution global mapping capability     

A Raw Signal Simulator for Bistatic SAR

This article proposes a new efficient raw signal simulator for the bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) based on 2D fast Fourier transform (FFT) to deal with cases of both ideal trajectory and trajectory deviation. It begins with analyzing the geometric configuration and the range history of the bistatic SAR in side-looking and squint modes of ideal trajectory as well as trajectory deviation. Then a detailed and mathematical study is conducted on the equivalence relation of bistatic-to-monostatic applications (BTMA) in the case of ideal trajectory and trajectory deviation. Also a set of formulas are derived for the equivalence relation between bistatic SAR and monostatic SAR on some reasonable assumptions. Therefore, the application of the simulation method based on the 2D FFT for the monostatic SAR can be extended to the case of bistatic SAR. Finally, the simulation results prove the validity of this method. By comparing the efficiency of the proposed method with that of the time domain method, it is shown that the former is a few orders of magnitude higher.     

ISE: intelligent synthesis environment for future aerospace systems

The Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE) being developed by NASA, UVA, and JPL for significantly enhancing the rapid creation of innovative affordable products and missions is described. ISE uses a synergistic combination of leading-edge technologies, including high-performance computing, high-capacity communications and networking, virtual product development, knowledge-based engineering, computational intelligence, human-computer interaction, and product information management. The environment will link scientists, design teams, manufacturers, suppliers, and consultants who participate in the mission synthesis, as well as in the creation and operation of the aerospace system. It will radically advance the process by which complex science missions are synthesized, and high-tech engineering systems are designed, manufactured, and operated. The evolution of engineering design is described along with the shortcomings of current product development techniques. The need for ISE to create high-science payoff missions and aerospace systems at affordable costs is discussed. The five major components critical to ISE and some of their sub-elements are described: namely, human-ISE interaction; infrastructure for distributed collaboration; rapid synthesis and simulation tools; intelligent life-cycle system integration; and cultural change in the creative process. Related government and industry programs are outlined and future impact of ISE on complex missions and aerospace systems is discussed.     

A new fourth-order processing algorithm for spaceborne SAR

A new fourth-order signal aperture radar (SAR) processing algorithm has been developed for a general satellite-Earth relative motion. The two-dimensional exact transfer function (ETF) is calculated and range-variant phase corrections have been calculated in order to process many azimuth lines per block. The ETF together with the phase corrections has been called the fourth-order EETF (extended ETF). It is also shown that a fourth-order EETF is necessary to process high quality images from spaceborne SAR with long integration times with spatial resolution around 1 m. The algorithm is fast and is anticipated to have good phase preservation properties     

A novel method for multi-angle SAR image matching

Multi-angle synthetic aperture radar(SAR) image matching is very challenging, because the same object may cause different backscattering patterns, heavily depending on the radar incident angle. A technique based on the relations between the invariant positions of ground targets among the reference and sensed images is proposed to accommodate the nonmatching patterns. It involves a target extraction using wavelet coefficient fusion, as well as a geometric voting matching routine for searching the matched control points(CPs) in the reference and sensed images, respectively. To accelerate the speed of the search, a robust, rapidly corresponding CPs determination strategy is exploited by utilizing the global spatial transformation model, as well as a procedure of outlier removal to ensure the desired accuracy. Meanwhile, the positions of the matched point pairs are relocated using mutual information. The final warping of the images according to the CPs is performed by using a polynomial function. The results show the possibility of matching multi-angle SAR images in general cases.     

新型机载双通道SAR-GMTI实时算法

提出了一种用于机载双通道SAR的GMTI新算法,将自适应插值算法与多普勒频域DPCA相结合,先分析了新算法的原理,然后以一个距离误差系数不为正整数,并且有加速度存在的载机模型进行仿真.给出了使用新算法后的仿真结果,证明了算法的合理性和可靠性.     

一种SAR原始数据压缩新算法

 由于合成孔径雷达（SAR）原始数据的相关性很低,直接压缩原始数据是比较困难的。因此提出一种新算法,先对SAR原始数据做距离聚焦处理,使其在方位向具有较强的相关性,再沿方位向做线性预测,并对预测差值系列做块自适应量化。实验表明,在相同比特率条件下,该算法得到的数据域信噪比和图像域信噪比均比块自适应量化(BAQ)算法高,计算量远小于有关文献给出的距离聚焦后的压缩方法,具有一定实用价值。     

An exact expression for resolution cell area in special case ofbistatic radar systems

An exact expression for the bistatic resolution-cell area (A _B) is developed for the special case in which either the transmit or receive antenna has a broad azimuth beamwidth or is omnidirectional. Quantitative examples are presented to illustrate the variation of A_B with location. A comparison is made with the performance of a commonly used approximation formula     

Using LabVIEW to provide rapid prototyping environment for theteaching of avionics systems

This paper describes a simulation environment which has been used to teach the fundamental principles of Avionics Systems to students of Systems Engineering at Loughborough University of Technology. A versatile model of a Radar System is detailed as an example and its attributes from a teaching perspective are highlighted. The generic nature of the environment is also described, as is its position within the systems life cycle     

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.     

A chirp scaling approach for processing squint mode SAR data

Image formation from squint mode synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is limited by image degradations caused by neglecting the range-variant filtering required by secondary range compression (SRC). Introduced here is a nonlinear FM chirp scaling, an extension of the chirp scaling algorithm, as an efficient and accurate approach to range variant SRC. Two methods of implementing the approach are described. The nonlinear FM filtering method is more accurate but adds a filtering step to the chirp scaling algorithm, although the extra computation is less than that of a time domain residual compression filter. The nonlinear FM pulse method consists of changing the phase modulation of the transmitted pulse, thus avoiding an increase in computation. Simulations show both methods significantly improve resolution width and sidelobe level, compared with existing SAR processors for squint angles above 10 deg for L-band and 20 deg for C-band     

综合载荷环境下高超声速飞行器结构多场联合强度试验技术

针对当前高超声速飞行器结构综合环境强度验证技术的迫切需求,开展考虑气动力、高温、噪声及机械振动等载荷的多场联合强度试验设计,提出了多系统集成方法,给出了多载荷联合加载解耦方法与控制策略,基于行波管建立了多场联合试验平台,对平台关键环境影响因素进行了分析,给出了具体的解决途径,最后基于该试验平台完成了某舵面构件的气动力/高温/噪声/振动多场联合试验,得到了联合载荷作用下结构应变、加速度及位移等响应的时域与频域变化特征,试验表明,多场联合环境下结构的响应水平较高,结构更容易发生破坏,通过该试验验证了多场联合试验技术的可行性及有效性,可为复杂载荷环境下高超声速飞行器结构的地面强度试验验证提供有力的技术支撑。     

An environment for the integration and test of the Space Stationdistributed avionics systems

An approach is described to supplying an environment for the integration and test of the Space Station distributed avionics systems. Background is included on the development of this concept including the lessons learned from Space Shuttle experience. The environment's relationship to the process flow of the Space-Station verification, from systems development to on-orbit verification, is presented. The uses of the environment's hardware implementation, called Data Management System (DMS) kits, are covered. It is explained how these DMS kits provide a development version of the Space-Station operational environment and how this environment allows system developers to verify their systems performance, fault detection, and recovery capability. Conclusions on how the use of the DMS kits, in support of this concept, will ensure adequate on-orbit test capability are included     

一种新的SAR成像末制导弹道快速优化方法

基于一种求解最优控制的新方法——hp自适应伪谱法,对合成孔径雷达(SAR)成像末制导弹道优化问题进行了研究。以波束驻留时间最小为指标函数,考虑SAR成像约束、导弹过载约束、导弹动力学约束,建立了SAR成像末制导弹道优化模型,利用hp自适应伪谱法对模型求解。仿真结果表明,hp伪谱方法通过伪谱分段数和配点数目的自适应调节,融合了分段伪谱法计算效率高和全局伪谱法收敛速率快的优点,得到的弹道平滑、精度高,与采用直接打靶法的弹道优化相比,优化时间显著降低,可为SAR成像末制导工程设计提供有益参考。     

一种新颖的超高分辨率SAR频率域反投影成像算法

超高分辨率条件下,机载合成孔径雷达（SAR）发射信号带宽大,合成孔径时间比较长,对成像处理算法的精度和效率要求较高。现有近似频率域处理和时间域滤波反投影（FBP）算法聚焦SAR数据时均存在诸多问题。基于微局部分析方法,提出了一种新颖的频率域滤波反投影（FD-FBP）成像处理方案。首先,利用Keystone变换简化了数据距离多普勒（RD）域徙动表达式。然后,在RD域进行反投影操作,对参考位置处反投影数据进行移位、相位补偿和FFT等操作即可以得到图像,从而在保证算法精确性的前提下有效降低了运算效率,实现了频率域方法的高效率和时间域方法的精确性特点的结合。最后,点目标仿真和实测数据处理以及与FBP等算法的对比验证了该方法的有效性。