Algebraic iterative wideband radar imaging algorithm to identify rapidly rotating parts on aerial targets

Abstract

Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging plays an important role in aerial target identification. However, traditional ISAR methods are based on rigid body dynamics, which cannot depict micro-moving parts, such as the rotating propellers of an aircraft. In this study, a novel wideband radar imaging algorithm is proposed to identify rapidly rotating objects. The proposed algorithm contains two key steps: the first involves the establishment of the algebraic equations based on the high-resolution range profile series. The second step consists of a solution for these equations, for which the authors provide the steepest descent iterative method as well as several improvements to enhance imaging quality. A few necessary preprocesses and potential challenging scenarios are also considered. The results are used from simulations and field data to exhibit the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed algorithm.