Removal of surface returns in ground-penetrating radar data

Techniques using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for the detection of targets such as abandoned landmines or unexploded ordnance (UXO) buried under the ground surface continue to receive considerable attention especially in the area of signal processing. In this paper we consider the problem of eliminating the so-called ground-bounce effect, which is due to the specular ground surface reflections of the radar signal. The ground-bounce returns are often significantly stronger than the reflection from a target and pose a challenging problem. Existing techniques commonly assume that the ground response is constant as the radar equipment moves along a track. By using measured data, we show that this is. for several reasons. an unrealistic assumption. Instead, we consider a semi-parametric model for the ground-bounce that is in better agreement with observed data. Furthermore, we show how this model can be used to derive an accurate and robust but yet conceptually simple algorithm for the removal of the ground return. We demonstrate our technique using data recorded by an ultra-wideband GPR on a U.S. Army test range.