UAVSAR: A new NASA airborne SAR system for science and technology research

摘要

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is currentlyudbuilding a reconfigurable, polarimetric L-band syntheticudaperture radar (SAR), specifically designed to acquire airborneudrepeat track SAR data for differential interferometricudmeasurements. Differential interferometry can provide keyuddeformation measurements, important for studies ofudearthquakes, volcanoes and other dynamically changingudphenomena. Using precision real-time GPS and a sensorudcontrolled flight management system, the system will be able toudfly predefined paths with great precision. The expectedudperformance of the flight control system will constrain the flightudpath to be within a 10 m diameter tube about the desired flightudtrack. The radar will be designed to be operable on a UAVud(Unpiloted Arial Vehicle) but will initially be demonstrated on audon a NASA Gulfstream III. The radar will be fully polarimetric,udwith a range bandwidth of 80 MHz (2 m range resolution), andudwill support a 16 km range swath. The antenna will beudelectronically steered along track to assure that the antennaudbeam can be directed independently, regardless of the winduddirection and speed. Other features supported by the antennaudinclude elevation monopulse and pulse-to-pulse re-steeringudcapabilities that will enable some novel modes of operation. Theudsystem will nominally operate at 45,000 ft (13800 m). Theudprogram began as an Instrument Incubator Project (IIP) fundedudby NASA Earth Science and Technology Office (ESTO).