Application of coupled-wave Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation to ground penetrating radar

This paper deals with bistatic subsurface probing of a horizontally layered dielectric half-space by means of ultra-wideband electromagnetic waves. In particular, the main objective of this work is to present a new method for the solution of the two-dimensional back-scattering problem arising when a pulsed electromagnetic signal impinges on a non-uniform dielectric half-space; this scenario is of interest for ground penetrating radar (GPR) applications. For the analytical description of the signal generated by the interaction of the emitted pulse with the environment, we developed and implemented a novel time-domain version of the coupled-wave Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation. We compared our solution with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) results, achieving a very good agreement. We then applied the proposed technique to two case studies: in particular, our method was employed for the post-processing of experimental radargrams collected on Lake Chebarkul, in Russia, and for the simulation of GPR probing of the Moon surface, to detect smooth gradients of the dielectric permittivity in lunar regolith. The main conclusions resulting from our study are that our semi-analytical method is accurate, radically accelerates calculations compared to simpler mathematical formulations with a mostly numerical nature (such as the FDTD technique), and can be effectively used to aid the interpretation of GPR data. The method is capable to correctly predict the protracted return signals originated by smooth transition layers of the subsurface dielectric medium. The accuracy and numerical efficiency of our computational approach make promising its further development

Performance of the Linear Model Scattering of 2D Full Object with Limited Data

Inverse scattering problems stand at the center of many important imaging applications, such as geophysical explorations, radar imaging, and synthetic-aperture radar (SAR). Several methods have been proposed to solve them when the full data are available, usually providing satisfactory reconstructions. However, it is impossible to acquire the full data in many practical circumstances, such as target detection and ground penetrating radar (GPR); consequently, only limited data are available. Thus, this paper focuses on the mathematical analysis and some numerical simulations to estimate the achievable resolution in reconstructing an object from the knowledge of the scattered far-field when only limited data are available, with multi-view excitations at a single frequency. We focus on 2D full rectangular geometry as the investigation domain (ID). We also examine the number of degrees of freedom (NDF) and evaluate the point spread function (PSF). In particular, the NDF of the considered geometry can be estimated analytically. An approximated closed-form evaluation of the PSF is recalled, discussed, and compared with the exact one. Moreover, receiving, transmission, and angle sensing modes are considered to apply the analysis to more realistic scenarios to highlight the difference between the corresponding NDF and the resulting resolution performances. Finally, interesting numerical applications of the resolution analysis for the localization of a collection of point-like scatterers are presented to illustrate how it matches the expectations

Filtering random layering effects in imaging

Objects that are buried deep in heterogeneous media produce faint echoes which are difficult to distinguish from the backscattered field. Sensor array imaging in such media cannot work unless we filter out the backscattered echoes and enhance the coherent arrivals that carry information about the objects that we wish to image. We study such filters for imaging in strongly backscattering, finely layered media. The filters are based on a travel time transformation of the array data, the normal move-out, used frequently in connection with differential semblance velocity estimation in seismic imaging. In a previous paper [10] we showed that the filters can be used to remove coherent signals from strong plane reflectors. In this paper we show theoretically and with extensive numerical simulations that these filters, based on the normal move-out, can also remove the incoherent arrivals in the array data that are due to fine random layering in the medium. Key words. array imaging, randomly layered media, filtering

Lorenz-Mie theory for 2D scattering and resonance calculations

This PhD tutorial is concerned with a description of the two-dimensional generalized Lorenz-Mie theory (2D-GLMT), a well-established numerical method used to compute the interaction of light with arrays of cylindrical scatterers. This theory is based on the method of separation of variables and the application of an addition theorem for cylindrical functions. The purpose of this tutorial is to assemble the practical tools necessary to implement the 2D-GLMT method for the computation of scattering by passive scatterers or of resonances in optically active media. The first part contains a derivation of the vector and scalar Helmholtz equations for 2D geometries, starting from Maxwell's equations. Optically active media are included in 2D-GLMT using a recent stationary formulation of the Maxwell-Bloch equations called steady-state ab initio laser theory (SALT), which introduces new classes of solutions useful for resonance computations. Following these preliminaries, a detailed description of 2D-GLMT is presented. The emphasis is placed on the derivation of beam-shape coefficients for scattering computations, as well as the computation of resonant modes using a combination of 2D-GLMT and SALT. The final section contains several numerical examples illustrating the full potential of 2D-GLMT for scattering and resonance computations. These examples, drawn from the literature, include the design of integrated polarization filters and the computation of optical modes of photonic crystal cavities and random lasers.Comment: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article published in Journal of Optics. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from i

Through-the-Wall Imaging and Multipath Exploitation

We consider the problem of using electromagnetic sensing to estimate targets in complex environments, such as when they are hidden behind walls and other opaque objects. The often unknown electromagnetic interactions between the target and the surrounding area, make the problem challenging. To improve our results, we exploit information in the multipath of the objects surrounding both the target and the sensors. First, we estimate building layouts by using the jump-diffusion algorithm and employing prior knowledge about typical building layouts. We also take advantage of a detailed physical model that captures the scattering by the inner walls and efficiently utilizes the frequency bandwidth. We then localize targets hidden behind reinforced concrete walls. The sensing signals reflected from the targets are significantly distorted and attenuated by the embedded metal bars. Using the surface formulation of the method of moments, we model the response of the reinforced walls, and incorporate their transmission coefficients into the beamforming method to achieve better estimation accuracy. In a related effort, we utilize the sparsity constraint to improve electromagnetic imaging of hidden conducting targets, assuming that a set of equivalent sources can be substituted for the targets. We derive a linear measurement model and employ l1 regularization to identify the equivalent sources in the vicinity of the target surfaces. The proposed inverse method reconstructs the target shape in one or two steps, using single-frequency data. Our results are experimentally verified. Finally, we exploit the multipath from sensor-array platforms to facilitate direction finding. This in contrast to the usual approach, which utilizes the scattering close to the targets. We analyze the effect of the multipath in a statistical signal processing framework, and compute the Cramer-Rao bound to obtain the system resolution. We conduct experiments on a simple array platform to support our theoretical approach

Study of interpolation methods for high-accuracy computations on overlapping grids

Overset strategy can be an efficient way to keep high-accuracy discretization by decomposing a complex geometry in topologically simple subdomains. Apart from the grid assembly algorithm, the key point of overset technique lies in the interpolation processes which ensure the communications between the overlapping grids. The family of explicit Lagrange and optimized interpolation schemes is studied. The a priori interpolation error is analyzed in the Fourier space, and combined with the error of the chosen discretization to highlight the modification of the numerical error. When high-accuracy algorithms are used an optimization of the interpolation coefficients can enhance the resolvality, which can be useful when high-frequency waves or small turbulent scales need to be supported by a grid. For general curvilinear grids in more than one space dimension, a mapping in a computational space followed by a tensorization of 1-D interpolations is preferred to a direct evaluation of the coefficient in the physical domain. A high-order extension of the isoparametric mapping is accurate and robust since it avoids the inversion of a matrix which may be ill-conditioned. A posteriori error analyses indicate that the interpolation stencil size must be tailored to the accuracy of the discretization scheme. For well discretized wavelengthes, the results show that the choice of a stencil smaller than the stencil of the corresponding finite-difference scheme can be acceptable. Besides the gain of optimization to capture high-frequency phenomena is also underlined. Adding order constraints to the optimization allows an interesting trade-off when a large range of scales is considered. Finally, the ability of the present overset strategy to preserve accuracy is illustrated by the diffraction of an acoustic source by two cylinders, and the generation of acoustic tones in a rotor–stator interaction. Some recommandations are formulated in the closing section

Trans-dimensional inversion of modal dispersion data on the New England Mud Patch

© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Bonnel, J., Dosso, S. E., Eleftherakis, D., & Chapman, N. R. Trans-dimensional inversion of modal dispersion data on the New England Mud Patch. IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 45(1), (2020): 116-130, doi:10.1109/JOE.2019.2896389.This paper presents single receiver geoacoustic inversion of two independent data sets recorded during the 2017 seabed characterization experiment on the New England Mud Patch. In the experimental area, the water depth is around 70 m, and the seabed is characterized by an upper layer of fine grained sediments with clay (i.e., mud). The first data set considered in this paper is a combustive sound source signal, and the second is a chirp emitted by a J15 source. These two data sets provide differing information on the geoacoustic properties of the seabed, as a result of their differing frequency content, and the dispersion properties of the environment. For both data sets, source/receiver range is about 7 km, and modal time-frequency dispersion curves are estimated using warping. Estimated dispersion curves are then used as input data for a Bayesian trans-dimensional inversion algorithm. Subbottom layering and geoacoustic parameters (sound speed and density) are thus inferred from the data. This paper highlights important properties of the mud, consistent with independent in situ measurements. It also demonstrates how information content differs for two data sets collected on reciprocal tracks, but with different acoustic sources and modal content.10.13039/100000006-Office of Naval Research 10.13039/100007297-Office of Naval Research Globa