Numerical simulation of highly squinted spotlight SAR images from complex targets using an amendatory frequency scaling algorithm

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn the highly squinted spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image simulation of complex electrically large targets, the principal difficulties consist of the generation and the processing of SAR echo. Concerning the above two issues, this paper proposed a complete procedure for highly squinted SAR image simulation. Firstly, in order to generate the SAR echo efficiently and accurately, the geometrical optics and physical optics (GO-PO) hybrid method is employed to get the spatial distributed scattering fields, which is an essential step for the generation of SAR echo. Secondly, regarding to the processing of highly squinted SAR echo, the amendatory frequency scaling algorithm (AFSA) is adopted. Compared with the benchmark frequency scaling algorithm (FSA), AFSA eliminates the trouble caused by the range-dependent secondary range compression (SRC) error in high squint mode through the nonlinear frequency scaling (NFS) operation. Finally, according to the complete simulation procedure, SAR images of a complex ship target under different radar parameters are simulated and analysed. The simulation results indicate the performance of AFSA in the processing of highly squinted SAR echo. Meanwhile, the effectiveness and the reasonability of the complete simulation procedure are revealed as well.