WIDE-FIELD CIRCULAR SAR IMAGING: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF LAYOVER EFFECTS

Demirci S., Yigit E., Ozdemir C.

MICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, vol.57, no.2, pp.489-497, 2015 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 57 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2015
  • Doi Number: 10.1002/mop.28884
  • Journal Name: MICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.489-497
  • Keywords: circular synthetic aperture radar, layover, back-projection algorithm, clutter reduction, automatic target detection, SYNTHETIC-APERTURE RADAR, ALGORITHM
  • Bursa Uludag University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In circular synthetic aperture radar (CSAR), targets are usually scanned over the complete azimuthal aperture of 360 degrees. A major challenge inhibiting successful CSAR image production is encountered in two-dimensional imaging of relatively large scenes (i.e. wide-field scenarios). For such cases, the spatially variant radar signature gives rises to image degradations known as layover effects. In this paper, the imaging results for hypothetical and real complex targets using their CSAR data at C band are demonstrated to characterize these effects. In real experiments, a ground-based, outdoor CSAR system is exploited thanks to the circular balcony of a building that provides 270 degrees view of targets. A spherical back-projection algorithm is used to focus near-field data and the reconstructed images are also cleaned out from clutter to more easily visualize the layover artifacts. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:489-497, 2015