Complex ISAR imaging of maneuvering targets via the Capon estimator

An inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) can be used to produce high-reso lution images of moving targets of interest by utilizing the relative motio n between the target and the radar and by transmitting signals with large b andwidth. Most ISAR imaging algorithms are based on the range-Doppler proce ssing, which implies that the Doppler shirts remain constant during the coh erent integration time. For maneuvering targets. the Doppler shifts are tim e varying. In this case, the algorithms will produce blurred images. We pre sent herein an adaptive Capon spectral estimation algorithm for the complex IS,UI image formation of maneuvering targets. It is an efficient recursive implementation of the well-known Capon complex spectral estimation algorit hm by using FFT and simple matrix operations.