WAVE DOMAIN PROCESSING OF SYNTHETIC-APERTURE RADAR SIGNALS

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images are being created with new Fourier wavenumber domain algorithms that are more accurate than the traditional range-Doppler algorithm. A geometric distortion called range migration occurs when SAR images are formed under the assumption that the remote sensor is strictly side-looking. This article reviews the wave domain algorithms developed in Canada and Germany; our purpose is to clarify their common approach to creating more accurate SAR images using chirp scaling methods. Virtual SAR modeling software is being developed at APL to test new image processing methods, including new wave domain algorithms, and to evaluate geometric accuracies.