Inverse synthetic aperture ladar imaging with stepped‐frequency continuous waveform

High quality linear laser frequency chirp of high chirp rate is critical to many laser ranging applications. In this paper, we describe a cost-effective chirp linearization approach implemented on our Inverse synthetic Aperture LADAR (ISAL) imaging testbed. Our approach uses a COTS PZT for external cavity laser frequency tuning and a common self-heterodyne fiber interferometer as a frequency monitor, with a two-step hardware and software chirp linearization procedure to achieve high quality chirp. First, the nominal triangle waveform input to PZT drive is modified through an iterative process prior to ISAL imaging acquisition. Several waveforms with chirp rates between 1 and 4THz/s have been acquired with residual chirp rate error ~ +/-2% in usable region. This process generally needs to be done only once for a typical PZT that has excellent repeatability but poor linearity. The modified waveform is then used during ISAL imaging acquisition without active control while the imperfection in transmitted frequency is monitored. The received imaging data is resampled digitally based on frequency error calculated from the frequency monitor data, effectively reduce chirp nonlinearity to ~+/- 0.2% in chirp rate error. The measured system impulse response from return signal shows near designed range resolution of a few mm, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach.

Inverse synthetic aperture ladar (ISAL), which operates at visible or infrared wavelength, is more sensitive to maneuver than inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR). In this paper, we propose the Range Instantaneous Doppler (RID) algorithm for very high resolution ISAL imaging of maneuvering targets. The Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD) and the Radon transform are used for computing the time-varying Doppler spectrum of maneuvering targets. The data processing of the RID algorithm is illustrated. The simulation shows that the RID algorithm can reconstruct a clearer ISAL image of the maneuvering target than the conventional rang Doppler (RD) algorithm. This is a crucial step in developing a real ISAL system.

Target vibration introduces unexpected vibration phases in the echo signal of inverse synthetic aperture LADAR (ISAL). The vibration phases cause the imaging results to be defocused. How to estimate the vibration phases has always been one of the difficulties in ISAL imaging, and there has not been an effective solution. In this paper, two methods are proposed to estimate the vibration phases in different situations. The method based on multi-channel along-track interferometry (MCATI method) is for some cases that the target velocity vector is parallel to some baselines of ISAL. The method based on orthogonal interferometry (OI method) is for other cases that the target velocity vector is not parallel to any baseline of ISAL. In addition, a high signal to noise ratio (SNR) is essential for the MCATI and OI methods to get high estimation accuracy. Therefore, a large power-aperture product should be carefully considered in the ISAL system design. Furthermore, on the condition of low SNR, range cell accumulation is also helpful to reduce the influence of noise. Take the ISAL, which is utilized to image the satellite in 500km orbit, as an example, the estimation accuracy can satisfy the demand of synthetic aperture imaging with 0dB single-pulse SNR and 300 range cell accumulation. The proposed methods are verified with simulation and experiment.

During the spaceborne inverse synthetic aperture ladar (ISAL) imaging, the radial velocity between the piggyback satellite of ladar and the observed satellite is usually relatively large, which will introduce the inner-pulse Doppler that cannot be ignored in the echo. In this case, the traditional “stop-and-go” assumption will no longer hold, and the compressed result along the range direction would be seriously broaden. Therefore, to obtain a well-focused ISAL image, this article proposed a spaceborne ISAL imaging algorithm for high-speed moving targets based on the inner-pulse Doppler compensation and residue video phase (RVP) correction. In the article, the estimate method of the radial velocity, the inner-pulse Doppler compensation method, and the RVP correction method are given. After inner-pulse Doppler compensation, RVP correction and translational motion compensation, the range-compressed result under the “stop-and-go” assumption can be obtained, and the target can then be imaged by the traditional ISAL imaging algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Because of the high frequency and large bandwidth of the transmitted signal of inverse synthetic aperture Ladar (ISAL), effect as dispersion in range profile exists when imaging uncooperative targets, which leads to the distortion on one-dimensional range profile. The echo model of ISAL is established for uncooperative target. Research shows that, for uniform motion target and uniformly accelerated target, ISAL signals after optical heterodyne processing can be considered as multi-component linear frequency modulation (LFM) signals with the same chirp rate. An ISAL motion compensation method based on fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) is proposed here. Simulation results demonstrate the validity of this method. (5 pages)

In response to the application requirement of wide-range high-resolution imaging of non-cooperative moving real targets by inverse synthetic-aperture ladar (ISAL), experiments were conducted on the depolarization effect of target materials, and the polarization selection of ISAL receiving and transmitting channels was discussed. Considering the impact of target depolarization and the demand for along-track interferometry, combined with beam-broaden and high-gain amplifiers, an ISAL system design method that can stably image multiple non-cooperative real targets has been proposed. Under the condition of broadening the transmitting and receiving beams to 3° in the elevation direction for non-cooperative moving vehicles, echo data with a duration of 1 s is obtained. The spatial correlation algorithm combined with along-track interferometry is used to estimate the vibration phase error. The sub-aperture Range-Doppler algorithm is used for imaging. The ISAL imaging results of the moving vehicle validated the high-resolution imaging ability of ISAL and its potential for stable imaging of non-cooperative moving real targets.

逆合成孔径激光雷达(Inverse Synthetic Aperture Ladar, ISAL)对机动目标成像时,其回波信号存在距离向色散和方位向多普勒时变的问题。对于机动性满足二阶运动近似的目标,分析了其ISAL回波信号特征,该文提出一种基于FRFT-CLEAN的ISAL成像算法。该算法利用分数阶Fourier变换(FRactional Fourier Transform, FRFT)消除距离色散。在运动补偿后,利用FRFT并结合CLEAN技术(FRFT-CLEAN)实现对机动目标的方位成像。仿真实验证明了该方法的有效性。

Multi-Channel Inverse Synthetic Aperture Ladar Imaging Detection Technology and Experimental Research

The ground‐airborne transient electromagnetic method with a galvanic source has such advantages as high efficiency, great exploration depth, high signal to noise ratio and good performance in mountainous areas. However, so far its interpretation system has not been established, which restricts the development of this method. This paper aims at building up a complete ground‐airborne electromagnetic detection system to enrich the theory of this method. This paper consists of three parts: (1) full field apparent resistivity definition; (2) Kirchhoff immigration of TEM virtual wave field; and (3) inverse synthetic aperture imaging. Magnetic field intensity is selected for full field apparent resistivity definition. The results of theoretical models show that the first and last part of the apparent resistivity curve can reach the resistivity of the first and the last layer, respectively. Thus, full space and full time apparent resistivity definition is achieved. Based on previous study, Kirchhoff migration of ground‐airborne transient electromagnetic method with a long wire source is realized. A correlation method is adopted for multiple survey point synthesis, which pushes the traditional single point processing forward point‐by‐point for multi‐coverage inverse synthetic aperture imaging.The results of layered models show that full field apparent resistivity can reveal the underground electric change smoothly, completely and gradually. When the resistivity of the middle layer changes, the differentiation of full field apparent resistivity is obvious, which can easily and intuitively identify the electric layer. As receiver altitude, offset and time are considered simultaneously, full field apparent resistivity can be calculated in full space and full time. The results of the complex model with a water‐bearing gob shows that the further the offset from the gob is, the weaker the resistivity anomaly on full field apparent resistivity section is. There are two interfaces from the Kirchhoff immigration results, of which the upper one indicates surface. As the electrical difference between earth and air is large, the wave field signal of this interface is strong, which spreads over the whole area. While the anomalies of the lower interface are mainly distributed in the middle area and weaken outwards, which indicate the water bearing gob. The upper interface changes little after inverse synthetic aperture imaging, while the gob anomaly narrows and has a clear boundary. The anomaly boundary matches well with the designed model. Inverse synthetic aperture imaging of ground‐airborne transient electromagnetic survey with a long wire source is realized on the basis of inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR). Full field apparent resistivity is put forward with inverse function and iteration, which can realize calculation of this variable in the full zone and full time. Pseudo‐seismic migration of transient electromagnetism is used in 3D transient field imaging. Inverse synthetic aperture radar is introduced in inverse synthetic aperture imaging of the ground‐airborne transient electromagnetic method with a long wire source, which can help enhance resolution. The results of designed models show that correlation can strengthen useful signal and improve signal to noise ratio and resolution, which prove the efficiency of inverse synthetic aperture imaging of the ground‐airborne transient electromagnetic method with a long wire source.

EARLY DETECTION OF GEAR TOOTH CRACKING USING THE RESONANCE DEMODULATION TECHNIQUE

High‐resolution imaging of distant, dynamic targets is fundamentally limited by finite‐aperture diffraction. Unlike radar, optical detectors record only intensity and lack the temporal resolution for direct phase measurement, hindering straightforward extension of synthetic aperture techniques to the optical domain. While Macroscopic Fourier ptychography (FP) offers a promising computational alternative, its reliance on mechanical scanning or engineered illumination restricts its use to cooperative, static scenes. In this paper, we present Inverse Synthetic Aperture Macroscopic Fourier ptychography (ISAMFP), which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first practical realization of inverse synthetic aperture imaging for diffusely reflecting targets within the Fourier ptychography framework. By transforming the natural target motion from a detrimental factor into an effective source of angular diversity, ISAMFP eliminates the need for mechanical scanning or illumination modulation and achieves resolution enhancement far beyond the aperture limit using intensity‐only measurements. Experimental validations on USAF resolution targets, unmanned aerial vehicles, and complex multi‐target scenes highlight both the robustness and versatility of ISAMFP, establishing it as a powerful tool for non‐interferometric synthetic aperture imaging of moving, non‐cooperative targets, with broad implications for surveillance, defense, and remote sensing.

이 논문에서는 여러 곳에서 통용되고 있는 기존의 CW(Continuous-Wave) 바이오 레이더 송수신 모델을 수정한 새로운 송수신 모델을 제안한다. 최근에 심장 박동과 호흡을 검출하기 위해 CW 바이오 레이더를 이용해서 여러 연구 기관에서 연구가 진행되고 있다. 그러나 이 통용되고 있는 수신 모델을 이용해서 심장 박동을 검출하게 되면 여분의 위상 변이나 가우시안 잡음에 취약하고, 또한 인체 공학적으로 개념상 정확하지 못한 단점을 가지고 있다. 그러므로 이 논문에서 인체 공학상으로 정확한 수정된 CW 바이오 레이더 송수신 모델을 제안함으로써 여분의 위상 변이와 가우시안 잡음이 있는 환경뿐 아니라 다중 경로 환경에서 기존의 송수신 모델과의 심장 박동과 호흡 검출에 대한 성능을 비교 분석한다. The paper proposes a new signal model which is revised from the commonly used signal model. Recently, many research institutions had a research about CW bio-radar for detecting he heartbeat and respiration. However, when the bio-radar detects the heartbeat using the previous signal model, the bio-radar has a disadvantage of weakness about he residual phase and AWGN. Also, the model is inappropriate in ergonomics because this signal model supposes hat the heart and lung are located at a same place. In this paper, the modified signal model, which is appropriate n ergonomics, is proposed. This paper analyzes and compares with the performance for detecting the heartbeat and respiration using the previous model and revised model in AWGN and multi-path environment.

The micro-motion Doppler echo simulation and characteristic parameter extraction of the extended micro-motion target are carried out. For the extended micro-motion target, the echo from the target cannot be regarded as several points' echo. Based on the connections between the scattering field and Doppler echo, an echo simulation method for micro-motion target (based on physical optics) and a method of equivalent current are proposed. At the moment, the micro-motion target can be taken as a static target, so the back scattering field series can be calculated by physical optics and the method of equivalent current. The back scattering field series calculated in the target coordinate system is transformed into the echo of radar coordinate system by the conversion of coordinates, and the Doppler echo is obtained. By comparing with the analytic signal model, the method is validated. The precession characteristics of a cone and warhead with fins are analyzed. Echoes come from every part of the extended micro-motion target and contain the motion characteristics of that part. So the traditional time-frequency analytical methods are not appropriate. In order to achieve better time frequency concentration and avoid the cross terms, the S-method is used to get the time-frequency distributions. The time-frequency characteristics at different radar waves' incidence angles, target different motion states and different geometries are analyzed. From the time-frequency distribution map, the micro-motion of the cone behaves as the micro-motion of two strong scattering points at the bottom of the cone. Because of the shielding effect, the time-frequency curves are not integrated when the radar waves are incident from the cone's bottom. The sinusoidal curve can be mapped to a point in the parameter space based on the inverse radon transform, and the target micro-motion parameters can be obtained. Results of inverse radon transform also show that the precession of the cone behaves as the precession of the two strong scattering points, and the two points' phase difference is equal. For warhead with fins, the time frequency distribution of spin behaves as four sinusoidal curves whose phase differences are equal, implying that the micro-motion of the target behaves like the four fins' micro-motion. However, the sinusoidal curves of precession of the warhead with fins are very different, i.e. their phase differences are not equal. This is because the precession consists of spinning and coning, and the coning has a modulation effect on the spinning. These phase information and the number of strong scattering points can be directly and easily obtained through inverse radon transform. This study combines the electromagnetic scattering with the signal procession. And some results are different from that of traditional micro-motion models through the simulation of typical ballistic targets. Results are explained and analyzed by combining scattering theory. This research has important theoretical and application values in the ballistic target detection and recognition.

A photonics-based radar for high-resolution 3D microwave imaging is proposed and demonstrated, in which high range resolution is achieved by employing a wideband linearly frequency modulated signal, and high cross-range resolution in both azimuth and elevation is realized by rotating the target around two orthogonal axes to compose a 2D inverse synthetic aperture. The proposed radar performs photonics-based in-phase/quadrature up-conversion and de-chirp processing in the transmitter and receiver, respectively, which features a compact structure with low-sampling-rate electronics in the receiver. An experiment is carried out. The established radar works in the <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K$ </tex-math></inline-formula> -band, with bandwidth as large as 8 GHz. Captured echo signals at different rotation angles of the target are processed to a 3D image, in which the voxel values are scattering intensities at different spatial positions.

Reconstruction of the habitat range suitable for long-tailed goral (Naemorhedus caudatus) using fossils from the Paleolithic sites