Target resolvability from single-tone fringe patterns of digitally spotlighted SAR image

This paper addresses the problem of resolving targets in a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) scene. The approach is based on computing an analyzing the SAR signature of a localized or spotlighted target area in the reconstructed SAR image at a fixed fast-time frequency (single tone) of the radar signal. This signature is translated into a set of fringe patterns in the spatial domain of the SAR image; the fringe patterns is used to identify the presence of more than one target in the spotlighted target area. The resolution of this scheme is shown to surpass the conventional resolution of a SAR system. Results using the realistic turntable data of a tank and a set of corner reflectors are provided.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.