REDUCTION OF SURFACE CLUTTER BY A POLARIMETRIC FM-CW RADAR IN UNDERGROUND TARGET DETECTION

This paper presents an experimental result of polarimetric detection o f objects buried in a sandy ground by a synthetic aperture FM-CW radar . Emphasis is placed on the reduction of surface clutter by the polari metric radar, which takes account of full polarimetric scattering char acteristics. First, the principle of full polarimetric imaging methodo logy is outlined based on the characteristic polarization states for a specific target together with a polarimetric enhancement factor which discriminates desired and undesired target echo. Then, the polarimetr ic filtering technique which minimizes a surface reflection is applied to detect a thin metallic plate embedded in a sandy ground, demonstra ting the potential capability of reducing surface clutter which leads to an improvement of underground radar performance, and validating the usefulness of FM-CW radar polarimetry.