Near-field SAR for signature and camouflage evaluation in realistic backgrounds
Author
Summary, in English
Outdoor ranges are commonly used for accurate RCS measurements of full scale
vehicles with or without camouflage. Furthermore, ISAR processing is often used to obtain high quality imagery of the objects. However, these images do not show the vehicles in the environment where they are supposed to operate. This paper describes a ground based SAR system that is used to make accurate measurements on vehicles or other objects in realistic backgrounds. A transportable short range SAR measurement system is constructed by placing a SAR on the bed of an all terrain truck. The radar system is based on a PNA network analyzer without power amplifier and a pair of standard X-band horn antennas. The target range is typically 100 m, which with a 5.4 m SAR rail gives a minimum cross-range resolution of 0.3 m at X-band frequencies. The down-range resolution is also adjusted to 0.3 m by adjusting the bandwidth. The SAR processing gain is sufficient to provide high quality images limited only by the background clutter. By using the terrain the objects can be
measured at depression angles up to at least 10°. The SAR images are near field images which are geometrically correct since back projection algorithms are used. The approach also gives very high angle reproducibility. This means that the same measurement geometry can be used to record the signature from a vehicle placed in a background environment before and after the addition of a camouflage system. It is then possible to use the two processed images to make a realistic estimate of the camouflage efficacy in this environment.
Flexible software based entirely on open source components is developed for the data processing, presentation and statistical analysis of the SAR images.
The advantages with this type of setup compared to flying SAR are less complex field trials and higher accuracy in the evaluation of camouflage.
This paper presents results from the evaluation of two generic camouflage nets using reference targets in different backgrounds and SAR images of vehicles.
vehicles with or without camouflage. Furthermore, ISAR processing is often used to obtain high quality imagery of the objects. However, these images do not show the vehicles in the environment where they are supposed to operate. This paper describes a ground based SAR system that is used to make accurate measurements on vehicles or other objects in realistic backgrounds. A transportable short range SAR measurement system is constructed by placing a SAR on the bed of an all terrain truck. The radar system is based on a PNA network analyzer without power amplifier and a pair of standard X-band horn antennas. The target range is typically 100 m, which with a 5.4 m SAR rail gives a minimum cross-range resolution of 0.3 m at X-band frequencies. The down-range resolution is also adjusted to 0.3 m by adjusting the bandwidth. The SAR processing gain is sufficient to provide high quality images limited only by the background clutter. By using the terrain the objects can be
measured at depression angles up to at least 10°. The SAR images are near field images which are geometrically correct since back projection algorithms are used. The approach also gives very high angle reproducibility. This means that the same measurement geometry can be used to record the signature from a vehicle placed in a background environment before and after the addition of a camouflage system. It is then possible to use the two processed images to make a realistic estimate of the camouflage efficacy in this environment.
Flexible software based entirely on open source components is developed for the data processing, presentation and statistical analysis of the SAR images.
The advantages with this type of setup compared to flying SAR are less complex field trials and higher accuracy in the evaluation of camouflage.
This paper presents results from the evaluation of two generic camouflage nets using reference targets in different backgrounds and SAR images of vehicles.
Publishing year
2011
Language
English
Pages
1-8
Publication/Series
[Host publication title missing]
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Document type
Conference paper
Publisher
AMTA
Topic
- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering
Keywords
- RCS
- SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar)
- Near-Field
- Measurement
- Imaging
Conference name
Antenna measurements techniques association 33rd annual symposium
Conference date
2011-10-16
Status
Published
Research group
- Electromagnetic theory