Mehrdad Soumekh

Bistatic synthetic aperture radar inversion with application in dynamic object imaging

An inversion method is presented for bistatic synthetic aperture radar imaging. The method is based on a Fourier analysis (Doppler processing) of the bistatic synthesized arrays data followed by a phase modulation analysis of the Doppler data. The approach incorporates the phase information of the wavefront curvature in the transmitted waves as well as the resultant echoed signals. The Doppler data are shown to provide samples of the reflectivity functions spatial Fourier transform within a band that depends upon the bistatic angles and ranges. Associated resolution, reconstruction, and sampling constraints for the imaging problem are discussed. The bistatic SAR inversion is also utilized to formulate an inversion for multistatic measurements made along a physical linear array due to a single transmission to image a dynamic object. >

Reconnaissance with ultra wideband UHF synthetic aperture radar

The author addresses the problem of detecting and identifying stationary and moving targets with foliage penetrating UHF synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The role of a targets coherent SAR signature, which varies with the radars frequency and aspect angle, in forming the Fourier space of the SAR signal is analyzed. The resultant relationship is the basis of an algorithm which, after extracting (digital spotlighting) the targets coherent SAR signature in the reconstruction domain, could be used to differentiate man-made structures from foliage. Methods for blind-velocity moving target indication are discussed. The main tool of the work is a signal theory based analysis of SAR signal via Fourier transform. However, the theory is at most as good as the collected SAR data. >

Reconnaissance with slant plane circular SAR imaging

This paper presents a method for imaging from the slant plane data collected by a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) over the full rotation or a partial segment of a circular flight path. A Fourier analysis for the Greens function of the imaging system is provided. This analysis is the basis of an inversion for slant plane circular SAR data. The reconstruction algorithm and resolution for this SAR system are outlined. It is shown that the slant plane circular SAR, unlike the slant plane linear SAR, has the capability to extract three-dimensional imaging information of a target scene. The merits of the algorithm are demonstrated via a simulated target whose ultra wideband foliage penetrating (FOPEN) or ground penetrating (GPEN) ultrahigh frequency (UHF) radar signature varies with the radars aspect angle.

Moving target detection and imaging using an X band along-track monopulse SAR

Moving target detection and imaging results for an X band spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system that utilizes an along-track monopulse configuration for its data collection is presented. The theoretical foundation of the processing that is used on these data is based on our earlier work in which a two-dimensional signal subspace processing (adaptive filtering) method was used to calibrate the monostatic and bistatic radars of the monopulse SAR system. The blind calibration of the two channels enables the user to null the stationary scene, and detect the moving targets. Next, a measure that we call SAR ambiguity function is used to estimate the relative speed of a detected moving target. The resultant estimate is then used to image the moving target.

Hyperspectral anomaly detection within the signal subspace

This letter describes the extension of signal subspace processing (SSP) to the arena of anomaly detection. In particular, we develop an SSP-based, local anomaly detector that exploits the rich information available in the multiple bands of a hyperspectral (HS) image. This SSP approach is based on signal processing considerations, and its entire formulation reduces to a straightforward (and intuitively pleasing) geometric and algebraic development. We extend the basic SSP concepts to the HS anomaly detection problem, develop an SSP HS anomaly detector, and evaluate this algorithm using multiple HS data files

Band-limited interpolation from unevenly spaced sampled data

The author addresses the problem of reconstructing a bandlimited signal from a finite number of its unevenly spaced sampled data. A Fourier analysis of the available unevenly spaced sampled data is presented. The result is utilized to develop an interpolation scheme from the available data. Conditions for accurate reconstruction are examined. Algorithms to implement the reconstruction scheme are discussed. The methods application to one-dimensional and two-dimensional reconstruction problems is shown. >

3-D E-CSAR imaging of a T-72 tank and synthesis of its SAR reconstructions

The results of three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of a T-72 tank using its angular azimuthal (turntable) and linear elevation synthetic aperture data at X band are presented. This is achieved using an accurate and computationally efficient wavefront (Fourier-based) reconstruction algorithm for elevation and circular (E-CSAR) data. The E-CSAR 3-D images are then used to synthesize 2-D spotlight and stripmap slant plane synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of the target at a desired range and squint angle. For this purpose, a procedure is introduced that incorporates the spatially varying azimuthal and elevation Doppler signatures of individual reflectors on the target as well as the mean range, azimuth, and elevation of the flight path. Results using the E-CSAR images of the T-72 tank are provided.

Signal subspace fusion of uncalibrated sensors with application in SAR and diagnostic medicine

This correspondence addresses the problem of fusing the information content of two uncalibrated sensors. This problem arises in registering images of a scene when it is viewed via two different sensory systems, or detecting change in a scene when it is viewed at two different time points by a sensory system, or via two different sensory systems or observation channels. We are concerned with sensory systems which have not only a relative shift, scaling and rotational calibration error, but also an unknown point spread function (that is time varying for a single sensor, or different for two sensors). By modeling one image in terms of an unknown linear combination of the other image, its powers and their spatially transformed (shift, rotation and scaling) versions, a signal subspace processing is developed for fusing uncalibrated sensors. The proposed method is shown to be applicable in moving target detection (MTD) using monopulse synthetic aperture radar (SAR) with uncalibrated radars. Results are shown for video, magnetic resonance images of a human brain, moving target detector monopulse SAR, and registration of SAR images of a target obtained via two different radars or at different coordinates by the same radar for automatic target recognition (ATR).

Array imaging with beam-steered data

The author presents a system model and inversion for the beam-steered data obtained by linearly varying the relative phase among the elements of an array, also known as phased array scan data. The system model and inversion incorporate the radiation pattern of the arrays elements. The inversion method utilizes the time samples of the echoed signals for each scan angle instead of range focusing. It is shown that the temporal Fourier transform of the phased array scan data provides the distribution of the spatial Fourier transform of the reflectivity function for the medium to be imaged. The extent of this coverage is related to the arrays length and the temporal frequency bandwidth of the transmitted pulsed signal. Sampling constraints and reconstruction procedure for the imaging system are discussed. It is shown that the imaging information obtained by the inversion of phased array scan data is equivalent to the image reconstructed from its synthesized array counterpart.

Signal processing of wide bandwidth and wide beamwidth P-3 SAR data

This research is concerned with multidimensional signal processing and image formation with FOliage PENetrating (FOPEN) airborne radar data which were collected by a Navy P-3 ultra wideband (UWB) radar in 1995. The digital signal processors that were developed for the P-3 data commonly used a radar beamwidth angle that was limited to 35 deg. Provided that the P-3 radar beamwidth angle (after slow-time FIR filtering and 6:1 decimation) was 35 deg, the P-3 signal aperture radar (SAR) system would approximately yield alias-free data in the slow-time Doppler domain. We provide an analysis here of the slow-time Doppler properties of the P-3 SAR system. This study indicates that the P-3 database possesses a 50 deg beamwidth angle within the entire [215, 730] MHz band of the P-3 radar. We show that the 50-degree beamwidth limit is imposed by the radar (radial) range swath gate; a larger beamwidth measurements would be possible with a larger range swath gate. The 50-degree beamwidth of the P-3 system results in slow-time Doppler aliasing within the frequency band of [444, 730] MHz. We outline a slow-time processing of the P-3 data to minimize the Doppler aliasing. The images which are formed via this method are shown to be superior in quality to the images which are formed via the conventional P-3 processor. In the presentation, we also introduce a method for converting the P-3 deramped (range-compressed) data into its alias-free baseband echoed data; the utility of this conversion for suppressing radio frequency interference signals is shown.