Search Results (66)

Measuring ocean currents is essential for oceanographic studies, and dual-beam squint airborne SAR measurements provide significant advantages, including flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and extensive coverage. However, substantial attitude changes in the airborne platform introduce challenges to achieving accurate ocean current measurements. Additionally, existing attitude correction methods fail to account for the off-nadir angle and squint angle errors of targets located at the edge of the beam’s ground footprint, further impacting measurement precision. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a dual-beam squint airborne velocity Doppler transfer model. The squint antenna view vector is initially defined in the aircraft-centered frame of reference and subsequently described using the flightpath frame of reference. By estimating the Doppler frequency caused by aircraft attitude changes, the velocity Doppler transfer model is established. This model is then applied to invert sea surface currents. An error analysis is conducted, and the Monte Carlo method is employed to validate the model’s accuracy. The results demonstrate that the proposed velocity Doppler transfer model effectively inverts sea surface currents with high accuracy in both velocity and direction. Compared to pre-existing methods, the proposed model shows superior performance, particularly in addressing off-nadir and squint angle errors, thereby enhancing overall measurement precision. Full article

A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) raw signal simulator is useful for supporting algorithm innovation, system scheme verification, etc. Trajectory deviation is a realistic factor that should be considered in a SAR raw signal simulator and is very important for applications such as motion composition and image formation for a SAR with nonlinear trajectory. However, existing efficient simulators become deteriorated and even invalid when the magnitude of trajectory deviation increases. Therefore, we designed an efficient SAR raw signal simulator that accounts for large trajectory deviation. Based on spatial spectrum analysis of the SAR raw signal, it is disclosed and verified that the 2D spatial frequency spectrum of the SAR raw signal is an arc of a circle at a fixed transmitted signal frequency. Based on this finding, the proposed method calculates the SAR raw signal by curvilinear integral in the 2D frequency domain. Compared with existing methods, it can precisely simulate the SAR raw signal in the case that the deviation radius is much larger. Moreover, taking advantage of the fast Fourier transform (FFT), the computational complexity of this method is much less than the time-domain ones. Furthermore, this method is applicable for multiple SAR acquisition modes and diverse waveforms and compatible with radar antenna beam width, squint angle, radar signal bandwidth, and trajectory fluctuation. Experimental results show its outstanding performance for simulating the raw signal of SAR with large trajectory deviation. Full article

In the traditional high squint angle $\omega -k$ imaging algorithm, the impact of a high squint angle on azimuth and range positioning is not considered but does include two aspects: the azimuth position shift caused by a high squint angle and the impact of Stolt interpolation on range positioning under a high squint angle. From the viewpoint of the geometric features of data acquisition in high-squint SAR and the characteristics of the $\omega -k$ imaging algorithm, this paper analyzes the causes of azimuth position offsets and range position offsets. According to the causes, closed-form mathematical expressions quantifying these coupled spatial distortions are derived. The $\omega -k$ imaging algorithm process is adjusted, and the correction factor is embedded into the imaging process to achieve offset-free, high-resolution imaging in the case of high-squint SAR. Full article

A frequency domain imaging algorithm, featured as joint two-dimensional (2D) time and frequency domain resampling, used for high-resolution high-squint large-scene (HHL) spaceborne sliding spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing is proposed in this paper. Due to the nonlinear beam rotation during HHL data acquisition, the Doppler centroid varies nonlinearly with azimuth time and traditional sub-aperture approaches and two step approach fail to remove the inertial Doppler aliasing of spaceborne sliding spotlight SAR data. In addition, curved orbit effect and long synthetic aperture time make the range histories difficult to model and introduce space-variants in both range and azimuth. In this paper, we use the azimuth deramping and 2D time-domain azimuth resampling, collectively referred to as preprocessing, to eliminate the aliasing in Doppler domain and correct the range-dependent azimuth-variants of range histories. After preprocessing, the squint sliding spotlight SAR data could be considered as equivalent broadside strip-map SAR during processing. Frequency domain focusing, mainly involves phase multiplication and resampling in 2D frequency and RD domain, is then applied to compensate for the residual space-variants and achieve the focusing of SAR data. Moreover, in order to adapt higher resolution and larger scene cases, the combination of the proposed algorithm and partitioning strategy is also discussed in this paper. Processing results of simulation data and Gaofen-3 experimental data are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed methods. Full article

Terahertz-band squint synthetic aperture radars (SARs) can obtain high-resolution images and have application potential in airborne radar systems. However, airborne radars usually have a large squint, which has led to traditional SAR algorithms no longer being applicable to airborne SARs. Additionally, terahertz radar imaging systems are more susceptible to the error induced by the platform’s motion. This paper proposes a motion compensation method for terahertz SAR imaging with a large squint angle. First, the signal model of motion compensation is derived, and the processing flow of imaging and motion compensation is detailed. Second, some simulations and experiments are conducted, and the results are reported. The results indicate that the proposed method can effectively correct the motion errors, and the signal model and processing flow are verified. Full article

In this paper, an end-to-end system framework is proposed for the Digital Twin study of spaceborne ATI-SAR ocean current velocity inversion. Within this framework, a fitting inversion approach is proposed to enhance the conventional spaceborne ATI-SAR ocean current velocity inversion algorithm. Consequently, the issue of possible local inversion errors stemming from the mismatch between the traditional spaceborne ATI-SAR inversion algorithm and various dual-antenna configurations is resolved to a certain extent. A simulated spaceborne ATI-SAR system, featuring a dual-antenna configuration comprising a baseline direction perpendicular to the track and a squint angle, is presented to validate the efficacy of the Digital Twin methodology. Under the specified simulation parameters, the average inversion error for the final ocean current velocity is recorded at 0.0084 m/s, showcasing a reduction of 0.0401 m/s compared with the average inversion error prior to optimization. Full article

In recent years, with the miniaturization of high-precision position and orientation systems (POS), precise motion errors during SAR data collection can be calculated based on high-precision POS. However, compensating for these errors remains a significant challenge for multi-rotor UAV-borne SAR systems. Compared with large aircrafts, multi-rotor UAVs are lighter, slower, have more complex flight trajectories, and have larger squint angles, which result in significant differences in motion errors between building targets and ground targets. If the motion compensation is based on ground elevation, the motion error of the ground target will be fully compensated, but the building target will still have a large residual error; as a result, although the ground targets can be well-focused, the building targets may be severely defocused. Therefore, it is necessary to further compensate for the residual motion error of building targets based on the actual elevation on the SAR image. However, uncompensated errors will affect the time–frequency relationship; furthermore, the ω-k algorithm will further change these errors, resulting in errors in SAR images becoming even more complex and difficult to compensate for. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a novel improved precise topography and aperture-dependent (PTA) method that can precisely compensate for motion errors in the UAV-borne SAR system. After motion compensation and imaging processing based on ground elevation, a secondary focus is applied to defocused buildings. The improved PTA fully considers the coupling of the residual error with the time–frequency relationship and ω-k algorithm, and the precise errors in the two-dimensional frequency domain are determined through numerical calculations without any approximations. Simulation and actual data processing verify the effectiveness of the method, and the experimental results show that the proposed method in this paper is better than the traditional method. Full article

For ultra-high-resolution (UHR) squint spotlight airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the severe range-azimuth coupling caused by squint mode and the spatial and frequency dependence of the motion error brought by ultra-wide bandwidth both make it difficult to obtain satisfactory imaging results. Although some autofocus methods for squint airborne SAR have been presented in the published literature, their practical applicability in UHR situations remains limited. In this article, a new 2D wavenumber domain autofocus method combined with the Omega-K algorithm dedicated to UHR squint spotlight airborne SAR is proposed. First, we analyze the dependence of range envelope shift error (RESE) and range defocus on the squint angle and then propose a new spectrum modification strategy, after which the spectrum transforms into a quasi-side-looking one. The accuracy of estimation and compensation can be improved significantly in this way. Then, the 2D phase error can be calculated with the 1D estimated error by the mapping relationship, and after that the 2D compensation is performed in the wavenumber domain. Furthermore, the image-blocking technique and range-dependent motion error compensation method are embedded to accommodate the spatial-variant motion error for UHR cases. Simulations are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Full article

Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is an advanced microwave imaging technology that provides all-weather and all-day target information. However, as spaceborne SAR resolution improves, traditional echo signal models based on airborne SAR design become inadequate due to the curved orbit, Earth rotation, and increased propagation distance. In this study, we propose an accurate range model for high-resolution spaceborne SAR by analyzing motion trajectory and Doppler parameters from the perspective of the space geometry of spaceborne SAR. We evaluate the accuracy of existing range models and propose an advanced equivalent squint range model (AESRM) that accurately fits the actual range history and compensates for high-order term errors by introducing third-order and fourth-order error terms while maintaining the simplicity of the traditional model. The proposed AESRM’s concise two-dimensional frequency spectrum form facilitates the design of imaging algorithms. Point target simulations confirm the effectiveness of the proposed AESRM, demonstrating significant improvements in fitting accuracy for range histories characterized by nonlinear trajectories. The developed AESRM provides a robust foundation for designing imaging algorithms and enables higher resolution and more accurate radar imaging. Full article

The imaging of high-speed high-squint synthetic aperture radar (HSHS-SAR), which is mounted on maneuvering platforms with curved trajectory, is a challenging task due to the existence of 3-D acceleration and the azimuth spatial variability of range migration and Doppler parameters. Although existing imaging algorithms based on linear range walk correction (LRWC) and nonlinear chirp scaling (NCS) can reduce the range–azimuth coupling of the frequency spectrum (FS) and the spatial variability of the Doppler parameter to some extent, they become invalid as the squint angle, speed, and resolution increase. Additionally, most of them ignore the effect of acceleration phase calibration (APC) on NCS, which should not be neglected as resolution increases. For these issues, a modified frequency nonlinear chirp scaling (MFNCS) algorithm is proposed in this paper. The proposed MFNCS algorithm mainly includes the following aspects. First, a more accurate approximation of range model (MAARM) is established to improve the accuracy of the instantaneous slant range history. Second, a preprocessing of the proposed algorithm based on the first range compression, LRWC, and a spatial-invariant APC (SIVAPC) is implemented to eliminate most of the effects of high-squint angle and 3-D acceleration on the FS. Third, a spatial-variant APC (SVAPC) is performed to remove azimuth spatial variability introduced by 3-D acceleration, and the range focusing is accomplished by the bulk range cell migration correction (BRCMC) and extended secondary range compression (ESRC). Fourth, the azimuth-dependent characteristics evaluation based on LRWC, SIVAPC, and SVAPC is completed to derive the MFNCS algorithm with fifth-order chirp scaling function for azimuth compression. Consequently, the final image is focused on the range time and azimuth frequency domain. The experimental simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. With a curved trajectory, HSHS-SAR imaging is carried out at a 50° geometric squint angle and 500 m × 500 m imaging width. The integrated sidelobe ratio and peak sidelobe ratio of the point targets at the scenario edges approach the theoretical values, and the range-azimuth resolution is 1.5 m × 3.0 m. Full article

High-resolution and high-squint spaceborne spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has significant potential for extensive application in remote sensing, but its swath width effectiveness is constrained by a critical factor: severe range cell migration (RCM). To address this, pulse repetition interval (PRI) variation offers a practical scheme for raw data reception. However, the current designs for continuously varying PRI (CV-PRI) exhibit high complexity in engineering. In response to the issue, this paper proposes a novel strategy of stepwise varying PRI (SV-PRI), which demonstrates higher reconstruction accuracy compared with CV-PRI. Furthermore, confronting the azimuth non-uniform sampling characteristics induced by the PRI variation, this paper introduces a complete uniform reconstruction processing based on the azimuth partitioning methodology, which effectively alleviates the inherent contradiction between resolution and swath width. The processing flow, utilizing the temporal point remapping (TPR) concept, ensures the uniformity and coherence of dataset partitioning and reassembly in the context of the interpolation on non-uniform grids. Finally, according to the simulation results, the point target data, processed through the processing flow proposed in this study, have demonstrated effective focusing results. Full article

In this study, repeat-pass synthetic aperture radar interferometry (repeat-pass THz InSAR) is first extended to the terahertz band, and it has tremendous potential in the application of high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) imaging due to its shorter wavelength, larger bandwidth, and greater sensitivity to elevation variation. The super-resolution and high sensitivity of THz InSAR pose greater demands on the baseline calibration for high-precision digital elevation model (DEM) generation. To meet the elevation accuracy requirement of THz InSAR, we propose a baseline calibration method relying on the estimation of the azimuth fringe frequency (EAFF) of the interferometric phase. Initially, a model for non-parallel sampling path errors within the squint SAR repeat-pass interferometry was established, and then, we conducted the theoretical analysis of the phase errors induced by the non-parallel errors. Following this, using a reference DEM, the relationship between the fringe frequency of the error phase and the bias in the repeat-path positioning was established. This allowed the estimation of the position errors to be transformed into the frequency spectrum estimation based on the FFT, which would mitigate the impact of unknown SAR sampling positions. Ultimately, we investigated the accuracy of the proposed EAFF calibration method, and the simulation showed that it can achieve the theoretical accuracy when the correlation coefficient exceeds 0.3. Furthermore, we configured the repeat-pass THz InSAR system with the 0.3 THz stepped-frequency radar. Compared to the conventional calibration based on ground control points (GCPs), the 3D reconstruction of both a knife and a terrain model, calibrated using the proposed EAFF algorithm, demonstrated that the elevation accuracy can achieve millimeter-level precision across the entire image swath. The above results also proved the great potential of THz InSAR in high-precision 3D imaging and remote sensing. Full article

Due to the complex range migration characteristics of large squint angle synthetic aperture radar (SAR), it is difficult for traditional SAR deceptive jamming algorithms to balance focusing ability and computational efficiency. There is an urgent demand for proposing a deceptive jamming algorithm against large squint angle SAR in the field of SAR jamming. This article proposes a deceptive jamming algorithm against SAR with large squint angles based on non-linear chirp scaling and low azimuth sampling reconstruction (NLCSR). The NLCSR algorithm uses a high-order approximation of a high-precision model to accurately construct the jammer’s frequency response (JFR) function. In line with the notion of low azimuth sampling processing of the transformation domain, the construction of the space-variant azimuth modulation phase item is completed using the non-linear chirp scaling method. Compared with the traditional deceptive jamming algorithms against the large squint angle SAR, the NLCSR algorithm only needs Fourier transform and complex multiplication while ensuring the focusing ability, which is easier to implement on an efficient parallel digital signal processor based on fast Fourier transform (FFT). Simulation results prove the superior property of the NLCSR algorithm in focusing ability and computational efficiency. Compared to the existing large squint angle SAR deceptive jamming algorithm, the focusing ability of the NLCSR algorithm is almost the same, and the calculation efficiency is improved by at least 52.1%. Full article

Conventional squinted sliding spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging suffers from substantial swath width reduction and complex processing requirements due to the continuous variation in the squint angle and the large range cell migration (RCM) throughout the data acquisition interval. A novel two-dimensional (2D) beam scanning mode for high-resolution wide swath (HRWS) imaging is proposed. The key to the novel imaging mode lies in the synchronous scanning of azimuth and range beams, allowing for a broader and more flexible imaging swath with a high geometric resolution. Azimuth beam scanning from fore to aft was used to improve the azimuth resolution, while range beam scanning was adopted to illuminate the oblique wide swath to avoid the large RCM and the serious swath width reduction. Compared with the conventional sliding spotlight mode, both the swath width and swath length could be extended. According to the echo model of this imaging mode, an echo signal preprocessing approach is proposed. The key points of this approach are range data extension and azimuth data upsampling. A designed system example with a resolution of 0.5 m, swath width of 60 km, and azimuth coverage length of 134 km is presented. Furthermore, a simulation experiment on point targets was carried out. Both the presented system example and imaging results of point targets validated the proposed imaging mode. Full article

The high-squint airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has the ability to detect the target area flexibly, and the detection swath is significantly increased compared with the side-looking SAR system. Therefore, it is of great significance to carry out research on high-precision imaging methods for high-squint airborne SAR. However, the high-squint SAR echoes have large Range Cell Migration (RCM), resulting in severe range–azimuth coupling and strong spatial variation. In this paper, a Modified Range Doppler Algorithm (MRDA) is proposed to cope with these effects introduced by the significant RCM in high-squint airborne SAR imaging. The bulk compensation preprocessing is first adopted to remove the considerable RCM and severe cross-coupling in a two-dimensional frequency domain. Then, Non-Linear Chirp Scaling (NLCS) in the range direction is utilized to equalize the range-variant chirp rate caused by the residual RCM and coupling and, therefore, the consistent range phase compensation can be fulfilled in range frequency domain. The modified correlation processing is executed to compensate the residual Doppler phase modulation, the residual RCM and the range-variant cubic phase modulation, which guarantees the characteristics of high efficiency and high precision. The simulations have demonstrated that the MRDA can focus the SAR echoes with large squint angles more effectively than the algorithms based on the Linear Range Walk Correction (LRWC) method. Full article