WAVE DOMAIN PROCESSING OF SYNTHETIC-APERTURE RADAR SIGNALS

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images are being created with new Fouri er wavenumber domain algorithms that are more accurate than the tradit ional range-Doppler algorithm. A geometric distortion called range mig ration occurs when SAR images are formed under the assumption that the remote sensor is strictly side-looking. This article reviews the wave domain algorithms developed in Canada and Germany; our purpose is to clarify their common approach to creating more accurate SAR images usi ng chirp scaling methods. Virtual SAR modeling software is being devel oped at APL to test new image processing methods, including new wave d omain algorithms, and to evaluate geometric accuracies.