Translational-Invariant Ultrahigh-Resolution Spaceborne Bistatic SAR Focusing and Image Coordinate Analysis Using Bistatic Polynomial Model

Abstract

We have proposed a novel process flow for translational-invariant (TI) and ultrahigh-resolution (UHR) bistatic synthetic aperture radar (BSAR) operations, wherein a UHR BSAR image is obtained via coherent integration of sub-aperture images, and its two-dimensional (2D) coordinates are then interpreted. The main contributions of the proposed method are as follows. First, to address additional aliasing of the TI BSAR spectrum after sub-aperture division, linear range walk compensation and its restoration are subsequently performed. This efficiently extends the duration of the Doppler domain after sub-aperture division, accommodating the skewed shape of the TI BSAR spectrum. Second, spatial-variant focusing is achieved via the bistatic polynomial omega-K algorithm (BP-OKA), for which a key consideration is highlighted to perform BP-OKA in the sub-image integration process. In its absence, the same scatterers appeared at different positions in each sub-aperture image, causing failure of coherent accumulation. Finally, to retrieve the range–azimuth coordinates of targets within an illuminated scene, we established a high-order equation using bistatic polynomials, and the 2D image coordinates of targets were determined by solving the equation. This new concept is fully compatible with the proposed BP-OKA and can be used in various spaceborne TI BSAR scenarios. All these contributions were verified using numerical simulations. Accordingly, the proposed processing flow can provide focused SAR images with accurate image coordinate interpretations for TI and UHR BSAR operations.