Characterizing and Correcting Media-Induced Focus Errors in Synthetic ApertureRadar Imagery

摘要

The reconstruction of images of buried objects from SAR data often relies onassumptions and algorithms developed in the context of free space radar propagation. In this paper, we investigate the conditions under which significant improvements to image quality result if proper account is taken of the detailed effects of the soil medium on radar wave propagation. These effects are analyzed both in terms of the refraction of plane waves and via reference to general analytic solutions to Maxwell's equations. Quantitative predictions of the improvement in buried target image focusing are presented for some realistic data collection scenarios, corresponding to airborne and ground based SAR or microwave holography.