Theory of Waveform-Diverse Moving-Target Spotlight Synthetic-Aperture Radar

TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive theory for waveform-diverse moving-target synthetic-aperture radar using a single moving antenna, providing formulas for imaging and error estimation related to target and antenna motion.

Contribution

It introduces a new theoretical framework for waveform-diverse moving-target SAR with arbitrary antenna flight paths and waveforms, including phase-space imaging and point-spread function formulas.

Findings

Derived phase space imaging formula for moving-target SAR.

Expressed the point-spread function in terms of the radar ambiguity function.

Demonstrated application to error estimation when motion is neglected.

Abstract

We develop a theory for waveform-diverse moving-target synthetic-aperture radar, in the case in which a single moving antenna is used for both transmitting and receiving. We assume that the targets (scattering objects) are moving linearly, but we allow an arbitrary, known flight path for the antenna and allow it to transmit a sequence of arbitrary, known waveforms. A formula for phase space (position and velocity) imaging is developed, and we provide a formula for the point-spread function of the corresponding imaging system. This point-spread function is expressed in terms of the ordinary radar ambiguity function. As an example, we show how the theory can be applied to the problem of estimating the errors that arise when target and antenna motion is neglected during the transit time of each pulse.