Application of RADAR technology to aerial LIDAR systems for enhancement of shallow underwater target detection

Author

Mullen, Linda Jeanne ; Vieira, Amarildo J C ; Herezfeld, P.R. ; Contarino, Vincent Michael

Author_Institution

Centre for Microwave-Lightwave Eng., Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA, USA

Volume

43

Issue

9

fYear

1995

fDate

9/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2370

Lastpage

2377

Abstract

Since microwaves do not penetrate water, RADAR, the principal tool for remote sensing of the earth and atmosphere, cannot be used directly for the detection of underwater objects. Currently, aerial light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) systems are therefore preferred for the detection and ranging of objects submerged in the sea. LIDAR provides for large area coverage at high speed, but it lacks coherent detection capability, a shortcoming that severely limits system sensitivity and underwater target contrast. In response to this problem, this paper details the merging of RADAR and LIDAR technologies in the constitution of a hybrid LIDAR-RADAR detection scheme. This new sensor configuration has reduced incoherent backscatter clutter by 17 dB in laboratory experiments and related computer simulations

Keywords

airborne radar; backscatter; object detection; optical radar; radar clutter; remote sensing; remote sensing by radar; RADAR technology; aerial LIDAR systems; coherent detection capability; hybrid LIDAR-RADAR detection scheme; incoherent backscatter clutter; shallow underwater target detection; submerged object detection; system sensitivity; Atmosphere; Earth; Ground penetrating radar; Laser radar; Object detection; Radar applications; Radar detection; Radar remote sensing; Remote sensing; Underwater tracking;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/22.414591

Filename

414591