Demonstration of W-band SAR Imagery with a Ground Based System Having 7.5 GHz of Bandwidth Obtained with a Stepped Chirp Waveform

Author

Marechal, Nicholas J. ; Osofsky, Samuel S. ; Bloom, Ronald M.

Author_Institution

Sensors Subdivision, Aerosp. Corp., El Segundo, CA, USA

Volume

49

Issue

4

fYear

2013

fDate

Oct-13

Firstpage

2522

Lastpage

2532

Abstract

Imagery formed from data collected by a ground-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) operating at W-band (95 GHz) with a bandwidth of 7.5 GHz is presented. The synthetic aperture is generated by translating the radar antenna along a precision rail mounted atop a two story building which illuminates targets at ground level below. The azimuth resolution achieved is 1.4 cm. The 7.5 GHz of range bandwidth is created as a union of sub-bands using a stepped chirp waveform providing a range resolution of 2.5 cm. Repeat pass interferometric SAR for terrain mapping and change detection are also demonstrated. The results are of particular importance for the development of airborne high resolution imaging and mapping systems, and ground-based security applications.

Keywords

airborne radar; ground penetrating radar; microwave imaging; millimetre wave imaging; millimetre wave radar; radar antennas; radar detection; radar imaging; radar interferometry; radar resolution; synthetic aperture radar; terrain mapping; airborne high resolution imaging; azimuth resolution; bandwidth 7.5 GHz; data collection; frequency 95 GHz; ground-based security application; ground-based synthetic aperture radar; mapping system; radar antenna; radar detection; repeat pass interferometric SAR; stepped chirp waveform; terrain mapping; w-band SAR imagery; Azimuth; Bandwidth; Image resolution; Radar imaging; Rails; Synthetic aperture radar;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Aerospace and Electronic Systems, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9251

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TAES.2013.6621833

Filename

6621833