Superconvergent Velocity Estimator for an Autofocus Coherent MapDrift Technique

Abstract

A new precise estimator for use in along-track velocity parameter estimation is presented in this letter. The proposed solution effectively determines flight parameters without using an iterative procedure for the autofocus coherent MapDrift (CMD) algorithm. The CMD technique is a coherent method allowing flight parameters to be determined more precisely than in another well-known autofocus noncoherent parametric technique known as classical MD. The proposed novel superconvergent coherent algorithm enables the fast focusing of synthetic aperture radar images using only one iteration of an autofocus procedure. This method can be successfully used in real-time applications for Earth imaging and the estimation of the parameters of ground moving targets.