Search Results (329)

Accurate estimation of young forest height is essential for assessing the carbon sequestration potential of vast Siberian boreal forests recovering from wildfires. Satellite radar interferometry, particularly PolInSAR, is a promising tool for this task. However, its application in winter conditions and over sparse young forests remains underexplored. This study proposes a novel method for estimating the height of sparse young pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands using fully polarimetric bistatic TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X data acquired in winter. The method is based on an analysis of the multimodal distribution of the unwrapped interferometric phase of the surface scattering component, which was isolated via PolInSAR decomposition. We hypothesize that the phase centers correspond to the snow-covered ground (located between tree groups) and the rough surface formed by the upper layer of branches and needles (of the tree groups). The results demonstrate that the difference between the dominant modes of the surface scattering phase distribution correlates with the height of young trees. However, the measurable height difference is limited by the interferometric height of ambiguity. Furthermore, a temporal analysis of the phase and meteorological data revealed a strong correlation between sudden phase shifts and daytime temperature rises around 0 °C. This is interpreted as the formation of a layered snowpack structure with a dense ice crust. This study confirms the potential of X-band PolInSAR for monitoring the structure of young Siberian forests in winter but also highlights a significant limitation: the critical impact of snowpack metamorphism, particularly melt-freeze cycles, on the interferometric phase. The proposed method is only applicable to certain forest regeneration stages where tree height does not exceed the ambiguity limit and snow conditions are stable. Full article

Benefiting from the advantages of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms such as low cost, rapid deployment capability, and miniaturization, the application of UAV-borne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has developed rapidly. Utilizing a self-developed monostatic Miniaturized SAR (MiniSAR) system and a bistatic MiniSAR system, our team conducted multiple imaging missions over the same vehicle equipment display area at different times. However, system disparities and time-varying factors lead to a mismatch between the distributions of the training and test data. Additionally, small ground vehicle targets under complex background clutter exhibit limited size and weak scattering characteristics. These two issues pose significant challenges to the precise detection of small ground vehicle targets. To address these issues, this article proposes a domain-unified adaptive target detection framework (DUA-TDF). The approach consists of two stages: image-to-image translation and feature extraction and target detection. In the first stage, a multi-scale detail-aware CycleGAN (MSDA-CycleGAN) is proposed to align the source and target domains at the image level by achieving unpaired image style transfer while emphasizing both global structure and local details of the generated images. In the second stage, a cross-window axial self-attention target detection network (CWASA-Net) is proposed. This network employs a hybrid backbone centered on the cross-window axial self-attention mechanism to enhance feature representation, coupled with a convolution-based stacked cross-scale feature fusion network to strengthen multi-scale feature interaction. To validate the effectiveness and generalization capability of the proposed algorithm, comprehensive experiments are conducted on both self-developed monostatic/bistatic SAR datasets and public dataset. Experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves an mAP50 exceeding 90% in within-domain tests and maintains over 80% in cross-domain scenarios, demonstrating exceptional and robust detection performance as well as cross-domain adaptability. Full article

Passive bistatic radar experiences serious clutter echo interference problems; the target echo is submerged by the sidelobes of the strong clutter echoes. Extensive cancellation algorithm is an efficient method for clutter cancellation, but it requires high-order matrix inversion which poses a great challenge to the existing hardware performance and is even impossible to achieve. Aiming at this problem, a fast clutter cancellation method based on the extensive cancellation algorithm is proposed in this paper. In this novel method, the high-order clutter delay matrix is divided into several low-order matrices, and at the same time, multiple sub-matrices are utilized for clutter cancellation simultaneously, which significantly reduces the computational complexity. Simulation results and applications on real data illustrate that the proposed method ensures the clutter cancellation performance while reducing the computational complexity in the passive bistatic radar system. Full article

The bistatic radar has been widely applied in moving target detection and tracking due to its unique bistatic perspective, low power, and good concealment. With the growing demand for detecting remote and high-speed moving targets, two challenges inevitably arise in the bistatic radar. The first challenge is the range ambiguity and Doppler ambiguity caused by long-range and high-speed targets. The second challenge is the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the target caused by insufficient echo power. Addressing these challenges is essential for enhancing the performance of the bistatic radar. This paper proposes a robust two-step ambiguity resolution algorithm for detecting and tracking moving targets using a time-division multiple pulse repetition frequency (PRF) multiframe (TD-MPMF) under the bistatic radar. By exploring the coupling relationship between measurement data under different PRFs and frames, the data in a single frame is divided into multiple subframes to formulate a maximization problem, where each subframe corresponds to a specific PRF. Firstly, all possible state values of the measurement data in each subframe are listed based on the maximum unambiguous range and the maximum unambiguous Doppler. Secondly, a coarse threshold is applied based on prior knowledge of potential targets to filter out candidates. Thirdly, the sequence is transformed from the polar coordinate into the feature transform domain. Based on the linear relationship between the range and velocity of multiple PRFs with moving targets in the feature domain, the support vector machine (SVM) is used to classify the target measurements. By employing the SVM to determine the maximum margin hyperplane, the true target range and Doppler are derived, thereby enabling the generation of the target trajectory. Simulation results show better ambiguity resolution performance and more robust qualities than the traditional algorithm. An experiment using a TD-MPMF bistatic radar is conducted, successfully tracking an aircraft target. Full article

This paper presents a bistatic 60 GHz frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar system for non-contact heart rate monitoring, utilizing high-gain Fabry–Perot cavity (FPC) antennas at both the transmitter and receiver. Each FPC antenna integrates a partially reflective surface (PRS) and a metallic ground plane to form a resonant cavity. Compared to conventional patch arrays of the same aperture, the FPC antenna improves the antenna gain from 4.1 dBi to 8.1 dBi at the transmitter and from 3.9 dBi to 7.8 dBi at the receiver, resulting in an overall link budget enhancement of approximately 7.9 dB. This dual high-gain configuration theoretically increases the maximum detection range by a factor of 2.48. The proposed radar system was implemented and experimentally validated under indoor conditions using both calibration targets and human participants. Active measurement results confirm that the bistatic radar equipped with FPC antennas extends the reliable heart rate detection distance by approximately 2.27 times compared to a conventional system, closely matching the theoretical prediction. These results confirm the practicality and effectiveness of FPC antennas in extending both the range and reliability of millimeter-wave vital sign detection systems. Full article

Ground-penetrating radar surveys on structures have a wide range of applications, and they are very useful in solving engineering problems: from detecting reinforcement, studying concrete characteristics, unfilled joints, analyzing brick elements, detecting water content in building bodies, and evaluating structural deformation. They generally pursued small investigation areas with measurements made in direct contact with target structures and for small depths. Detecting deep piles presents specific challenges, and surveys conducted from the ground level may be unsuccessful. To reach great depths, medium-low frequencies must be used, but this choice results in lower resolution. Furthermore, the pile signals may be masked when they are located beneath massive reinforced foundations, which act as an electromagnetic shield. Finally, GPR equipment looks for differences in the dielectric of the material, and the signals recorded by the GPR will be very weak when the differences in the physical properties of the investigated media are modest. From these weak signals, it is difficult to identify information on the differences in the subsurface media. In this paper, we are illustrating an exploration on plinth foundations, supported by drilled piles, submerged in soil, extensive, deep and uninformed. Pulse GPR prospecting was performed in common-offset and single-fold, bistatic configuration, exploiting the exposed faces of an excavation around the foundation. In addition, three velocity tests were conducted, including two in common mid-point and one in zero-offset transillumination, in order to explore the range of variation in relative dielectric permittivity in the investigated media. Thanks to the innovative survey on the excavation faces, it is possible to perform profiles perpendicular to the strike direction of the interface. The electromagnetic backscattering analysis approach allowed us to extract the weighted average frequency attribute section. In it, anomalies emerge in the presence of drilled piles with four piles with an estimated diameter of 80 cm. Full article

Effective means are urgently needed to identify non-cooperative targets intruding on airport clearance zones for the safety of low-altitude flights. Passive radars are an ideal means of low-altitude airspace surveillance for their low costs in terms of hardware and operation. However, non-ideal signals transmitted by third-party illuminators challenge feature extraction and target recognition in such radars. To tackle this problem, we propose a light-weight recognition-before-tracking method based on a beam constraint for passive radars. Under the background of sparse targets, the proposed method utilizes the continuity of target motion to identify the same target from the same array beam. Then, with its peaks detected in range-Doppler maps, a feature vector based on the biased radar cross-section is constructed for recognition. Meanwhile, to use the local scattering characteristics of targets for dynamic recognition, we introduce a parameter named normalized bistatic velocity to characterize the attitude of the target relative to the receiving station. With the proposed light-weight metric, the similarity of feature vectors between the unknown target and standard targets is measured to determine the target type. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are validated by the simulated and measured data. Full article

In radar target recognition, the canonical scatterer model (CSM) serves as an effective alternative to the scatterer center model (SCM) for efficiently characterizing electromagnetic (EM) scattering properties of complex targets. Based on physical optics (PO) and the stationary phase method (SPM), this paper analytically derives the novel extension of the CSM for six canonical scatterers: plate, dihedral, trihedral, cylinder, cone, and sphere. The proposed polarization-dependent framework isolates the polarimetric response from CSMs’ intrinsic geometries, reducing the full-polarimetric matrix to an explicit function exclusively governed by bistatic radar spatial configurations. Experimental validation demonstrates mean relative percentage errors (MRPEs) in radar cross section (RCS) of 0.3%, 2%, 2.6%, 3%, 6%, and 7%. This model constitutes a foundational prototype for scattering dictionaries addressing both forward and inverse EM scattering problems, possessing significant practical utility in radar target recognition and image interpretation. Full article

This paper presents the design, simulation, and experimental validation of a dual-Circularly Polarized (CP) array antenna to be used as single element for a bistatic radar system, aimed at detecting and tracking objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The antenna operates at 412 MHz in reception mode and consists of an array of 19 slotted-patch radiating elements with a cavity-based metallic superstrate, designed to support dual circular polarization. These elements are arranged in a hexagonal configuration, enabling the array structure to achieve a maximum realized gain of 17 dBi and a Side Lobe Level (SLL) below −17 dB while maintaining high polarization purity. Two identical analog feeding networks enable the precise control of phase and amplitude, allowing the independent reception of Right-Hand and Left-Hand Circularly Polarized (RHCP and LHCP) signals. Full-wave simulations and experimental measurements confirm the high performance and robustness of the system, demonstrating its suitability for integration into large-scale Space Situational Awareness (SSA) sensor networks. Full article

This paper proposes a novel Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based remote sensing method for simulating Radar Doppler Map (RDM) features through joint electromagnetic scattering modeling and signal processing, enabling characteristic parameter extraction for both point and ship targets in multi-satellite scenarios. Simulations demonstrate that the B3I signal achieves a significantly enhanced range resolution (tens of meters) compared to the B1I signal (hundreds of meters), attributable to its wider bandwidth. Furthermore, we introduce an Unscented Particle Filter (UPF) algorithm for dynamic target tracking and state estimation. Experimental results show that four-satellite configurations outperform three-satellite setups, achieving <10 m position error for uniform motion and <18 m for maneuvering targets, with velocity errors within ±2 m/s using four satellites. The joint detection framework for multi-satellite, multi-target scenarios demonstrates an improved detection accuracy and robust localization performance. Full article

The passive bistatic synthetic aperture radar (PBSAR) is recognized as a critical developmental direction for future radar systems. To validate its operational feasibility, we designed a PBSAR system. However, significant measurement errors were observed to degrade imaging quality. Conventional autofocusing algorithms operate under the assumption that measurement errors primarily perturb phase components while exerting negligible influence on signal envelopes. The results from the system demonstrate the invalidity of this assumption, and the performance of conventional autofocusing algorithms severely degrades under enhanced resolution requirements. To address this limitation, we propose a frequency-domain division-based multi-stage autofocusing framework. This approach improves the frequency-dependent characterization of phase errors and incorporates an image sharpness-optimized autofocusing strategy. The estimated phase errors are directly applied for signal-level compensation, yielding refocused imagery with enhanced clarity while achieving an efficiency improvement exceeding 75%. Furthermore, we introduce a ground Cartesian back projection algorithm to adapt it to the PBSAR architecture, significantly improving computational efficiency in autofocusing processing. The integration of the proposed autofocusing algorithm with the accelerated imaging framework achieves an enhancement in autofocusing performance and a computational efficiency improvement by an order of magnitude. Simulations and experimental validations confirm that the proposed methodology exhibits marked advantages in both operational efficiency and focusing performance. Full article

This paper investigates the three-dimensional target localization problem in satellite–ground bistatic radar. In conventional bistatic radar systems, passive receivers struggle to directly acquire the altitude information of the target, making it difficult to achieve effective three-dimensional target localization. This paper uses the bistatic distance data obtained after signal processing to construct ellipsoidal constraints, thereafter combining azimuth data to compress the position solution space into a three-dimensional elliptical line. Introducing the assumption of short-term linear uniform motion of the target, the target trajectory and elliptical line constraints are projected onto a two-dimensional plane, establishing an optimization model to determine the target trajectory parameters, ultimately yielding the target’s three-dimensional coordinates and completing the positioning process. The simulation results demonstrate the efficacy and performance of the proposed method. Full article

High-frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR) is unable to measure the target’s altitude information due to its limited antenna aperture in the elevation dimension. This paper focuses on the 3-D localization problem for moving targets within the line of sight (LOS) in multistatic HFSWR. For this purpose, the 1-D space angle (SA) measurement is introduced into multistatic HFSWR to perform 3-D joint localization together with bistatic range (BR) and bistatic range rate (BRR) measurements. The target’s velocity can also be estimated due to the inclusion of BRR. In multistatic HFSWR, commonly used azimuth measurements offer no information about the target’s altitude. Since SA is associated with the target’s 3-D coordinates, combining SA measurements from multiple receivers can effectively enhance localization accuracy, particularly in altitude estimation. In this paper, we develop a two-stage localization algorithm that first derives a weighted least-squares (WLS) coarse estimate and then performs an algebraic error reduction (ER) procedure to enhance accuracy. Both stages yield closed-form results, thus ensuring overall computational efficiency. Theoretical analysis shows that the proposed WLS-ER algorithm can asymptotically attain the Cramér–Rao lower bound (CRLB) as the measurement noise decreases. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed WLS-ER algorithm and highlight the contribution of SA measurements to altitude estimation in multistatic HFSWR. Full article

The bistatic frequency diverse array (FDA) radar system is designed to exploit the beam autoscanning of FDA radar, providing a novel solution to address spatial synchronization challenges in bistatic radar architecture, unleashing bistatic radar’s advantage in low-observable target detection, main-lobe jamming (MLJ) suppression, etc. To lay the theoretical foundation for subsequent research on bistatic FDA radar systems, this study develops a generalized ambiguity function (GAF) framework, jointly characterizing target velocity, range, and angular parameters, which can provide a reference for transmitted signal optimization and bistatic geometric configuration design. This paper derives the mathematical model of the bistatic FDA radar system’s GAF and validates that its structure not only depends on the transmitted signal but also exhibits strong geometric dependency, where baseline length and target position jointly reshape the bistatic triangle through numerical simulations. Full article

To address the inherent contradiction between low-profile design and high gain in traditional omnidirectional antennas, as well as the narrow bandwidth constraints of ENZ antennas, this study presents a dual-mode ENZ-FP collaborative resonant antenna array design utilizing a substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW). Through systematic analysis of ENZ media’s quasi-static field distribution, we innovatively integrated it with Fabry–Perot (F–P) resonance, achieving unprecedented dual-band omnidirectional radiation at 5.18 GHz and 5.72 GHz within a single ENZ antenna configuration for the first time. The directivity of both frequencies reached 12.0 dBi, with a remarkably low profile of only 0.018λ. We then extended this design to an ENZ-FP dual-mode beam-scanning array. By incorporating phase control technology, we achieved wide-angle scanning despite low-profile constraints. The measured 3 dB beam coverage angles at the dual frequencies were ±63° and ±65°, respectively. Moreover, by loading the impedance matching network, the −10 dB impedance bandwidth of the antenna array was further extended to 2.4% and 2.7%, respectively, thus overcoming the narrowband limitations of the ENZ antenna and enhancing practical applicability. The antennas were manufactured using PCB (Printed Circuit Board) technology, offering high integration and cost efficiency. This provides a new paradigm for UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) communication and radar detection systems featuring multi-band operation, a low-profile design, and flexible beam control capabilities. Full article