Multistatic polarimetric radar data modeling and imaging of moving targets

• Published in: Inverse problems Vol. 30; no. 3; pp. 35002 - 24
• Main Authors: Webster, Tegan, Cheney, Margaret, Mokole, Eric L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.03.2014
• Subjects: Antennas; Computer simulation; Imaging; Moving targets; multistatic radar; polarization; Radar data; Receivers; Scattering; Transmitters; Waveforms
• ISSN: 0266-5611; 1361-6420
• DOI: 10.1088/0266-5611/30/3/035002

This paper advances the theory for multistatic imaging of non-interacting moving targets through the development of a vector radar data model for multiple transmitters and receivers and accompanying imaging operations for visualizing multistatic radar data in a common reference frame. The electromagnetic data model incorporates polarization and antenna effects, and the transmit waveform and scattering behavior of the target are left arbitrary for greater flexibility to model multiple scenarios. Two imaging operations are derived that combine the data collected at each receiver, first assuming that the contributions from all transmitters in the scene are separable and then assuming that the contributions from all transmitting antennas cannot be separated. The data model and imaging operations are used to simulate multiple antenna geometries and transmission schemes. Images produced from simulated data exhibit angle- and polarization-dependent scattering behavior consistent with the antenna geometry, transmit waveforms, and target specific to each scenario.