Jianchao Yang

Focusing one-stationary bistatic forward-looking synthetic aperture radar based on squint minimization and modified nonlinear chirp scaling algorithm

ABSTRACT This article deals with the imaging problem of bistatic forward-looking synthetic aperture radar with a stationary transmitter (one-stationary BFSAR). In one-stationary BFSAR, due to the large forward-looking (or squint) angle, it causes more serious range cell migration and two-dimensional spatial variation. To solve this problem, an imaging algorithm based on squint minimization and modified nonlinear chirp scaling (NLCS) method is proposed. The squint minimization method can decrease the coupling between range and azimuth and correct the linear range cell migration. The modified NLCS can eliminate the variation of azimuth reference function more accurately than traditional NLCS algorithm, which improves the focus quality of marginal targets. Finally, simulation results confirm the efficiency of our proposed algorithm.

Two-dimensional superresolution multiple-input multiple-output and inverse synthetic aperture radar imaging based on spatial frequency ambiguity resolving

Abstract. Combining multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) techniques can reduce the number of antennas used and shorten the radar integrated time compared with the single-channel ISAR for the same cross-range resolution. In existing MIMO-ISAR processing, the echoes of different sensors are rearranged into an equivalent single-channel ISAR signal. A new method without echo rearrangement is proposed for two-dimensional (2-D) MIMO-ISAR imaging. A 2-D frequency estimation algorithm based on Unitary ESPRIT and projection transformation is used to obtain the spatial and Doppler frequencies of scatterers, and a high cross-range resolution can be achieved. The relationship between the two frequencies is exploited to resolve the ambiguity of spatial frequency. The analysis and simulation results show that, compared with the existing method, the proposed method can decrease the relative rotation angle (or integrated time) required for imaging. Thus, this method is more suitable for imaging targets with limited rotation or high maneuvering.

OFDM wavefroms designed with piecewise nonlinear frequency modulation pulse for MIMO radar

ABSTRACT Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) waveform diversity design has drawn extensive attention since it has a great potential in remote sensing. The orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) waveform designing becomes one of the most significant tasks in MIMO SAR system. In this article, a novel piecewise nonlinear frequency modulation (NLFM) waveform is proposed. The OFDM waveform is composed of the piecewise NLFM waveforms as its subpulses, and each subpulse has a different subcarrier beginning frequency. The subpulse is centre symmetrical and can be divided into three segments. The first and third segments of the subpulse are linear frequency modulation waveforms, and the second segment of the subpulse is an NLFM waveform. A few parameters are used to control the duration and bandwidth of each segment in the subpulse. Genetic algorithm is used for the OFDM waveforms to optimize the sidelobes of autocorrelation and cross-correlation function. Compared with other OFDM waveform design methods, the proposed method is more flexible and has higher degrees of freedom and thus can yield waveforms with a better autocorrelation and cross-correlation properties. The performances of ambiguity function and cross ambiguity function are analysed to have low time delay and Doppler correlation peaks. Simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.

Performance analysis of bistatic forward-looking SAR with DVB-S illuminators for navigation

Nowadays, many airports have already equipped landing aid system. However, the aid system can not provide the image view of the runway with potential obstructions. Considering the Digital Video Broadcast-satellite (DVB-S) has a large signal bandwidth and wide coverage, we develop a bistatic forward-looking synthetic aperture radar (BFSAR) using DVB-S as the illuminator for aircraft navigation. We call the developed system as DVB-S BFSAR. This study will analyze the properties of DVB-S signal, the signal noise ratio (SNR) and the imaging resolution of the proposed passive imaging system. The theory analysis and simulation results validate that the DVB-S BFSAR has fine resolution, and has the ability to be used as a navigation aid for landing aircraft.

A novel imaging method for random stepped frequency SAR with low SNR

ABSTRACT This letter proposes a novel structured compressive sensing (CS) imaging method in random stepped frequency (RSF) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for better imaging performance in the presence of strong additive noise. In this method, the multiple measurement vectors (MMV) model is established in range-Doppler domain with range migration taken into consideration and a modified sparse recovery algorithm is derived to synthesize the one-dimension range profile. Traditional cross-range focusing algorithm is then performed to obtain a well-focused image. The proposed method makes full use of the coherent information among different bursts, which may further illuminate the influence of additive noise and decrease the number of transmitted pulses needed in one burst. The simulated results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.

Efficient narrowband interference suppression method for synthetic aperture radar-based on variational mode decomposition

Abstract. The narrowband interference (NBI) can degrade the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging quality severely. This paper proposes an NBI mitigation method using the variational mode decomposition (VMD). The coarse estimation of NBI is obtained by decomposing the real part and imaginary part of the complex-valued raw echoes into a number of modes by VMD independently. Next, modes that correspond to NBI are refined by the mask technique in the frequency domain. Then the interference is mitigated by subtracting the refined estimated NBI components from the echoes, and a well-focused SAR image is obtained by conventional imaging schemes. The proposed method outperforms other time-varying NBI mitigation methods with smaller effective data loss and less impact on the focusing performance of images. Results of simulated and measured data prove the validity of the proposed method.