Study on Ship Kelvin Wake Detection in Numerically Simulated SAR Images

Abstract

To improve ship safety and increase ship concealment, we introduce a nonconvex regularization with a Cauchy-based penalty for discussing the influence of ship parameters and speckle noise in numerically simulated SAR images. First, the Kelvin wake geometry was modeled based on the classic theory of ship wave generation. Second, the scattering echo of the Kelvin wake was calculated using the two-scale method (TSM). Then, using the range-Doppler algorithm (RDA), the scattering echo data obtained by the TSM were processed to obtain the Kelvin wake in SAR images. Finally, the wake was reconstructed in the Radon domain using the Cauchy proximal splitting based on the forward–backward algorithm. The simulation results showed that Kelvin wakes were more easily detected in HH polarization with a large pitch angle and X-band, based on which the influence of ship parameters and speckle noise on the detection of ship wake in numerically simulated SAR images was discussed at different wind speeds. The research conclusions are of value to the development of ship wake stealth technology and the improvement of ship safety.