EISCAT aperture synthesis imaging (EASI 3D) for the EISCAT 3D project

Abstract

Aperture Synthesis Imaging Radar (ASIR) is the technology, code-named EASI 3D, adopted by the EISCAT 3D project, that will give the new radar system imaging capabilities in 3-dimensions including sub-beam resolution in the plane across the transmitter antenna beam. When complemented by pulse compression techniques, it will provide 3-dimensional images of certain types of incoherent scatter radar targets with resolution of the order of 100 metres at 100 km range in any direction illuminated by the transmitter beam. The cross-beam resolution will vary as the inverse of the range squared. This ability will open new research opportunities to map small structures associated with non-homogeneous, non-steady, unstable processes such as aurora, summer and winter polar radar echoes (PMSE and PMWE), Natural Enhanced Ion Acoustic Lines (NEIALs), structures excited by HF ionospheric heating, meteors, space debris, and possibly others.