Moving target imaging in foliage using polarimetric multi-frequency antenna array SAR

Abstract

Because of the low signal-to-clutter ratio, it is a difficult problem to detect and image moving targets in foliage. A multi-frequency multi-aperture polarimetric SAR (MFMA POLSAR) system is proposed for imaging of moving targets in foliage. The MFMA POLSAR extends the multi-frequency antenna array SAR (MF-SAR) system to multiple polarizations. Full polarization is used in MFMA POLSAR to achieve an optimal polarization adaptive to the environment, such that the images obtained by different apertures are of the best coherence that is used to obtain the highest accuracy of the phase estimation. It is also shown that the MFMA POLSAR can not only accurately locate both slow and the fast moving targets, but also reveal moving targets in foliage.