Multichannel Full-Aperture Azimuth Processing for Beam Steering SAR

For different applications with different requirements, many synthetic aperture radar (SAR) modes have been developed in the literature, such as, Terrain Observation by Progressive Scans (TOPS) SAR and sliding spotlight SAR. In this paper, we call TOPS SAR, sliding spotlight SAR, and spotlight SAR as beam steering SAR (BS-SAR for short). Comparing with stripmap SAR, BS-SAR can obtain a wide diversity of resolutions by increasing or reducing the azimuth synthetic time. Traditional polar formation algorithm (PFA) is an efficient algorithm which is mainly developed for spotlight SAR. The PFA has been validated to obtain well-focused results of raw data. In this paper, we extend the traditional PFA to process sliding spotlight SAR and TOPS SAR data, and we call it generalized PFA (GPFA). Comparing with the traditional PFA, GPFA contains a different azimuth deramping function and an additional azimuth scaling operation. The simulated and real data are used to validate the effectiveness of this method.

The beam steering of high-squint terrain observation by progressive scans (TOPS) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mounted on maneuvering platforms causes azimuth spectrum aliasing and nonlinear variation of the Doppler center with target azimuth position. A joint time-Doppler deramp (JTDD) based method is proposed and mainly contains two parts. First, for the azimuth spectrum aliasing, the unfolded 2-D spectrum is obtained by a modified linear deramp function in the azimuth time domain constructed from the 3-D motion parameters. After range cell migration correction (RCMC), the data supporting area in the azimuth time domain is expanded, and thus, aliased because of the nonlinear variation of Doppler center. Then, a nonlinear deramp operation in the Doppler domain is further proposed to obtain a nonaliasing signal. The proposed algorithm is efficient with less zero-padding due to the consideration of nonlinear components of Doppler center variation. Simulation and real SAR data processing are presented to validate the proposed algorithm.

Abstract. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) on the geosynchronous orbit has the advantage in remote sensing, with high resolution to provide a large coverage in a short visit time. the space-variant coverage and range-azimuth couple of GEO SAR are required to compensate, using the electrical beam steering, the irregular data acquisition can be convert to classical SAR modes, such as stripmap, spotlight, sliding spotlight, and terrain observation by progressive scans (TOPS) SAR, the dopper analysis of these work modes of SAR have been studied. Based on deramping processing and improved subaperture chirp scaling algorithm, a novel focusing approach is presented in this paper, whose performance is determined by the work mode, data acquisition and the deramping processing. Data of each mode can be focused by utilizing this presented approach with the information of subapterture centroid time and range rotation center. Simulation results are presented to validate the analysis of the proposed approach.

Several existing algorithms for squinted sliding spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) suffer from low efficiency, despite their good focusing abilities. Their low speeds are primarily due to the use of wave-number domain (Omega-K) processing after spectrum unfolding in the azimuth frequency domain. Omega-K processing is chosen in these algorithms due to its focusing ability at large squint angles. However, in most scenarios, spaceborne SARs operate with small squint angles that are generally not greater than 5 deg. In these scenarios, Omega-K processing is not necessary and is not preferred due to its computational burden. Thus, in this study, we extend a classic, two-step algorithm based on the chirp z-transformation for the efficient processing of SAR data acquired in spaceborne sliding spotlight mode at a small squint angle. The modified azimuth-filtering and focusing processing is used to compensate for the additional Doppler bandwidth caused by the antenna squinting and is described in detail. The simulation results show the good focusing ability of the proposed algorithm and validate the improvement in computational efficiency.

Full aperture imaging algorithm for highly squinted TOPS SAR

Azimuth multichannel synthetic aperture radar(SAR) is a form of SAR with one transmitter and several receivers, which is able to obtain both high resolution and wide swath imaging. Azimuth spectrum reconstruction is core operation in the data processing of azimuth multichannel SAR. The spatial variation of Doppler center frequency is non-ignorable in multichannel SAR of squint view, meanwhile, in sliding spotlight SAR imaging mode, the Doppler spectrum of the signal increases greatly due to the rotation of the beam direction, thus, the traditional reconstruction algorithm fails to reconstruct the signal spectrum correctly. To solve above problems, an improved azimuth spectrum reconstruction and imaging processing algorithm for squint multichannel SAR in sliding spotlight mode is proposed. By analyzing the characteristics of multichannel signals in two-dimensional frequency domain, a new spectrum reconstruction matrix is established. Besides, by combining the Deramp operation with the reconstruction algorithm, the Doppler bandwidth caused by the rotation of the beam center is removed. Finally, imaging algorithm of single channel SAR is used to image the reconstructed signal. Simulation experiments verify the effectiveness of the method.

This letter introduces the innovative multichannel sliding spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system for the acquisition of ultrahigh resolution radar images with wide swath coverage. The instructive system design guideline and the signal processing scheme for the proposed operational mode are exhibited. When deriving the azimuth reconstruction algorithm for the multichannel sliding spotlight mode, a novel squinted geometric model is employed, in which the variable antenna steering direction is taken into account. In addition, an in-depth quantitative analysis of system performance for the presented mode is carried on. Finally, a typical exemplary spaceborne SAR is designed based on the presented strategy, from which numerical simulation results are obtained to justify our derivations.

This paper presents a time-domain synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processor designed for Sentinel-l Terrain Observation by Progressive Scans (TOPS) monostatic data. The processor focuses Interferometric Wide (IW) swath and Extra Wide (EW) swath data on a selected region-of-interest (ROI) and consists of the following main stages: decoding of Level-0 data, selection of the relevant burst and pulses for the targeted ROI, range compression, azimuth frequency unfolding and resampling, and image focusing by a fast subaperture-based version of the back-projection algorithm. The performances of the developed processor are assessed on datasets acquired in IW and EW imaging modes. Such a time-domain processor can be regarded as a first step towards a geometry/frequency-agnostic SAR processing kernel for future monostatic/multi static spaceborne SAR missions.

During the data acquisition of a squint terrain observation by progressive scan (TOPS) synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the steering of the antenna main beam increases the azimuth bandwidth and results in the azimuth signal aliasing in the Doppler domain. Besides, the range curvature and the Doppler frequency modulation (FM) rates after linear range walk correction are azimuth-variant for squint TOPS SAR. These problems may cause some difficulties for the SAR data processing. To deal with the problems, a new imaging algorithm for the squint TOPS SAR is introduced in this paper. After linear range walk correction, the azimuth preprocessing is implemented to achieve the two-dimensional frequency spectrum without aliasing. Then, utilizing a modified chirp scaling algorithm, we complete the range cell migration correction (RCMC) and range compression to the TOPS SAR data without subaperture. Finally, the frequency nonlinear chirp scaling (FNCS) is proposed to correct the variation of the FM rates and the azimuth signal is focused in the Doppler domain via the spectral analysis (SPECAN) method. Both simulation and real data results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

To achieve on-board real-time processing for sliding-spotlight mode synthetic aperture radar (SAR), on the one hand, this paper proposes an adaptive and efficient imaging algorithm for the sliding-spotlight mode. On the other hand, a batch processing method was designed and optimized based on the AGX Orin platform to implement the algorithm effectively. Based on the chirp scaling (CS) algorithm, sliding-spotlight mode imaging can be achieved by adding Deramp preprocessing along with either zero-padding or performing an extra chirp scaling operation. This article analyzes the computational complexity of the two algorithms and provides a criterion called the Method Choice Indicator (MCI) for selecting the appropriate method. Additionally, the mathematical expressions for time–frequency transformation are derived, providing the theoretical basis for calculating the equivalent PRF and the azimuth width represented by a single pixel. To increase the size of the data that AGX Orin can process, the batch processing method was proposed to reduce peak memory usage during imaging, so that the limited memory could be better utilized. Meanwhile, this algorithm was also compatible with strip mode and TOPSAR (Terrain Observation by Progressive scans SAR) mode imaging. While batch processing increased data transfers, the integrated architecture of AGX Orin minimized the negative impact. Subsequently, through a series of optimizations of the algorithm, the efficiency of the algorithm was further improved. As a result, it took 19.25 s to complete the imaging process for sliding-spotlight mode data with a size of 42,966 × 27,648. Since satellite data acquisition time was 11.43 s, it can be considered that this method achieved near-real-time imaging. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of on-board processing.

A simulator for spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image formation is presented. The simulator produces radar returns from a virtual radar positioned at an arbitrary distance and altitude. The radar returns are produced from a source image, where the return is a weighted summation of linear frequency-modulated (LFM) pulse signals delayed by the distance of each pixel in the image to the radar. The imagery is resampled into polar format to ensure consistent range profiles to the position of the radar. The SAR simulator provides a capability enabling the objective analysis of formed SAR imagery, comparing it to an original source image. This capability allows for analysis of various SAR signal processing techniques previously determined by impulse response function (IPF) analysis. The results suggest that IPF analysis provides results that may not be directly related to formed SAR image quality. Instead, the SAR simulator uses image quality metrics, such as peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structured similarity index (SSIM), for formed SAR image quality analysis. To showcase the capability of the SAR simulator, it is used to investigate the performance of various envelopes applied to LFM pulses. A power-raised cosine window with a power p=0.35 and roll-off factor of β=0.15 is shown to maximize the quality of the formed SAR images by improving PSNR by 0.84 dB and SSIM by 0.06 from images formed utilizing a rectangular pulse, on average.

Although Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can capture rich land cover information as a most important advanced technique in the field of international earth observation, the application effects still limited significantly. The reason is that the study of SAR imaging processing, SAR image processing and SAR applications are conducted respectively, the integrated study are lacked for parameter selection of SAR imaging processing and SAR image processing and targets identification of SAR application. Focusing on above science problems, the study for phase high fidelity model of high precision interferometric SAR, SAR non-stationary backscattering characteristics and cognition, SAR three-dimensional electromagnetic scattering modeling and its scattering mechanism and SAR multi-parameters optimization information extraction has been conducted. The typical natural distributed targets and man-made targets such as surface deformation, sea ice, building complex and collapsed building are selected, the method and application study oriented to SAR environmental parameters inversion are conduced, the main result and conclusion are as follows: (1) The overall theoretical frames of SAR information integrated processing was proposed; The simulation and ground validation system used to assess the effects of SAR information integrated processing was created; furthermore, the spaceborne SAR imaging algorithm with three steps focusing processing was proposed and realized the multi-modal integrated imaging processing and improved the imaging processing precision. (2) In terms of SAR information integrated processing of natural targets, focusing on phase high fidelity imaging processing of interferometric SAR surface deformation monitoring, an novel spaceborne SAR high fidelity simulation method based on stationary RCS and improved Goldstein SAR interferogram filter based on empirical mode decomposition were proposed. Focusing on multi-parameters optimization processing of sea ice types classification, the multi-channel spaceborne SAR sparse imaging method based on compressive sensing, Kalman filter for removal of scalloping and inter-scan banding in ScanSAR images and SVM sea ice classification method combined with sea ice concentration were proposed. (3) In terms of SAR information integrated processing of man-made targets, focusing on non-stationary backscattering from building complex, mitigation of azimuth ambiguities in spaceborne stripmap SAR iamges using selective restoration, SAR image despeckling by selective 3D filtering of multiple compressive reconstructed images and man-made target detection in urban areas based on a new azimuth stationary extraction method were proposed. Focusing on three-dimensional modeling and fast extraction of collapsed building, H-a-p method used for collapsed building extraction was proposed.

This paper presents four imaging approaches for terrain observation by progressive scans (TOPS)-mode SAR focusing, all of which take advantage of modified chirp scaling (CS) algorithms according to echo properties in TOPS. After adopting different azimuth preprocessing steps to resolve the aliased Doppler spectra, the resulting TOPS raw data can be handled by a classic CS processor. Unfortunately, the resulting images would appear back folding, if only a standard stripmap processor is adopted. To avoid or resolve azimuth back folding in the final focused TOPS SAR images, four modified CS algorithms are presented according to special properties of the slow time-frequency diagram in TOPS. Imaging results on point targets validate the presented imaging approaches.

The processing of high resolution spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data suffers from Doppler spectrum aliasing because of the limited pulse repetition frequency (PRF). A modified two-step approach (TSA) based on the chirp z-transform (CZT) to high resolution spaceborne SAR data processing is proposed to deal with the spectral aliasing problem in this paper. The range frequency dependent quadratic phase function applied in modified TSA, which can remove the Doppler modulation of the signal completely, gives rise to the effect that the Doppler bin size varies with the range frequency. Thus, the extra spectrum resampling procedure is required to obtain a uniformly sampled signal spectrum. A spectrum resampling approach based on the chirp z-transform is proposed, which can overcome the range frequency dependent distortion. Experiments are performed on simulated point and experimental SAR data to validate the presented approach.

The novel displaced phase center antenna (DPCA) azimuth multichannel technique is well suited to improve the coarser azimuth resolution of the terrain observation by progressive scans (TOPS) mode for a fixed total receive antenna length. However, both the azimuth multichannel nonuniform sampling and the aliased Doppler spectrum in TOPS raise the azimuth data processing difficulty. This letter proposes an innovative full-aperture processing approach, which adds an azimuth derotation step for each azimuth channel before azimuth multichannel data reconstruction and utilizes the prefiltering operation in the two-step focusing technique to resolve both azimuth ambiguity problems caused by the DPCA technique and azimuth beam progressive scanning. In addition to presenting the proposed azimuth preprocessing approach, the impact of the approach on the azimuth ambiguity-to-signal ratio is analyzed in detail. Simulation results validate the proposed multichannel processing approach for the TOPS mode.