A novel method of SAR terrain target scattering signal simulation

Abstract

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) raw signal simulation is crucial for SAR system design and processing algorithms. This paper proposes the simulation method of SAR scattering signal of big area terrain target. At first, the SAR imaging principle is analyzed. Then, the space-borne SAR scenario model is constructed. The echoes of point target are calculated, which is impulse response of the SAR signal acquisition system. In tradition, the Radar Cross Section (RCS) simulation parameters of terrain target calculation is based on the scattering model expressions of a random roughness surface and the electromagnetic wave shadow theory. The approach of this communication utilizes the practical SAR SLC (Single Look Complex) or MGD (Multi-Look Ground-range Detected) image as terrain target backscattering coefficient, instead of the traditional method aforementioned. Then, 2D-FFT method is utilized to improve simulation efficiency significantly. The results of simulation prove the validity of the approach.