A Novel Ultra−High Resolution Imaging Algorithm Based on the Accurate High−Order 2−D Spectrum for Space−Borne SAR

Abstract

Ultra−high spatial resolution, which can bring more detail to ground observation, is a constant pursuit of the modern space−borne synthetic aperture radar. However, the exact imaging in this case has always been a complex technical problem due to its complicated imaging geometry and signal structure. To achieve those applications’ strict requirements, a novel ultra−high resolution imaging algorithm based on an accurate high−order 2−D spectrum is presented in this paper. The only first two Doppler parameters needed as range models in the defective spectrum are replaced by a polynomial range model, which can derive coefficients from the relative motion between the radar and the targets. Then, the new spectrum is calculated through the Lagrange inversion formula. Based on this, the novel imaging algorithm is elaborated in detail as follows: The range high−order term of the spectrum is compensated completely, and the range chirp rate space variance is eliminated by the cubic phase term. Two steps of range cell migration correct are applied in this algorithm before and after the range compression; one is the traditional linear chirp scaling method, and another is the interpolation to correct the quadratic range cell migration introduced by the range chirp rate equalization. The simulation results illustrate that the proposed algorithm can handle the exact imaging processing with a 0.25 m resolution around the azimuth and range in 2 km × 6 km, which validates the feasibility of the proposed algorithm.