Airborne Radar Interference Suppression Using Adaptive Three-Dimensional Techniques

This research advances adaptive interference suppression techniques for airborne radar, addressing the problem of target detection within severe interference environments characterized by high ground clutter levels, levels, noise jammer infiltration, and strong discrete interferers. Two-dimensional (2D) Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) concepts are extended into three-dimensions (3D) by casting each major 2D STAP research area into a 3D framework. The work first develops an appropriate 3D data model with provisions for range ambiguous clutter returns. Adaptive 3D development begins with two factored approaches, 3D Factored Time-Space (3D-FTS) and Elevation-Joint Domain Localized (Elev-JDL). The 3D adaptive development continues with optimal techniques, i.e., joint domain methods. First, the 3D matched Filter (3D-MF) is derived followed by a 3D Adaptive Matched Filter (3D-AMF) discussion focusing on well-established practical limitations consistent with the 2D case. Finally, a 3D-JDL method is introduced. Proposed 3D Hybrid methods extend current state-of-the-art 2D hybrid methods. The initial 3D hybrid, a functional extension of the 2D technique, exhibits distinct performance advantages in heterogeneous clutter. The final 3D hybrid method is virtually impervious to discrete interference

FM airborne passive radar

The airborne application of Passive Bistatic Radar (PBR) is the latest evolution of the now established international interest in passive radar techniques. An airborne passive system is cheaper to construct, easier to cool, lighter and requires less power than a traditional active radar system. These properties make it ideal for installation on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), especially for the next generation of Low Observable (LO) UAVs, complementing the platforms LO design with an inherently Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) air-to-air and air-to-ground sensing capability. A comprehensive literature review identified a lack of practical and theoretical research in airborne passive bistatic radar and a quantitative model was designed in order to un- derstand the theoretical performance achievable using a hypothetical system and FM as the illuminator of opportunity. The results demonstrated a useable surveillance volume, assuming conservative estimates for the receiver parameters and allowed the scoping and specification of an airborne demonstrator system. The demonstrator system was subsequently designed and constructed and flown on airborne experiments to collect data for both air-to-air and air-to-ground operation analysis. Subsequent processing demonstrated the successful detection of air targets which correlated with the actual aircraft positions as recorded by a Mode-S/ADS-B receiver. This is the first time this has been conclusively demonstrated in the literature. Doppler Beam Sharpening was used to create a coarse resolution image allowing the normalised bistatic clutter RCS of the stationary surface clutter to be analysed. This is the first time this technique has been applied to an airborne passive system and has yielded the first quantitive values of normalised bistatic clutter RCS at VHF. This successful demonstration of airborne passive radar techniques provides the proof of concept and identifies the key research areas that need to be addressed in order to fully develop this technology

Mapping of Ice Sheet Deep Layers and Fast Outlet Glaciers with Multi-Channel-High-Sensitivity Radar

This dissertation discusses the waveform design, the development of SAR and clutter reduction algorithms for MCRDS radars that are developed at CReSIS to map the ice-sheet bed, deep internal layers and fast-flowing outlet glaciers. It is verified with survey data that the sidelobe level of the designed tapered linear chirp waveform is lower than -60dB for reliable detection of deep ice layers close to the bed. The SAR processing is implemented in f-k domain with motion compensation. Very weak echoes from the deepest parts of Jakobshavn channel are detected for the first time using large synthetic aperture length. A beam-spaced clutter-reduction algorithm is developed to reduce the distributed across-track ice clutter encountered in sounding fast outlet glaciers by estimating the clutter power as a function of depth. On average this method is able to reduce ice clutter by 10dB over Hanning weighting with the MCRDS radar's multi-channel data

Synthetic aperture sonar

Synthetic aperture techniques have been applied very successfully for many years in astronomy and radar to obtain high resolution images, an outstanding example in recent years being the use in remote sensing satellite systems. In underwater acoustics, because of the inherent problems caused by random fluctuations in the signal path, the slow velocity of the acoustic wave and the unknown movements of the transducer as it traverses the aperture, the application of the synthetic aperture technique has mainly been limited to the very useful but rather inferior non-coherent technique known as side-scan sonar. However the rapid advances that are being made in micro-chip technology and fast digital signal processing, and the development in image processing algorithms has created renewed interest in the possible application of the synthetic aperture technique to underwater acoustics. This thesis describes such a study

Ultrasound Imaging

In this book, we present a dozen state of the art developments for ultrasound imaging, for example, hardware implementation, transducer, beamforming, signal processing, measurement of elasticity and diagnosis. The editors would like to thank all the chapter authors, who focused on the publication of this book

Ground moving target indication with synthetic aperture radars for maritime surveillance

The explosive growth of shipping traffic all over the World, with around three quarters of the total trade goods and crude oil transported by sea, has raised newly emerging concerns (economical, ecological, social and geopolitical). Geo-information (location and speed) of ocean-going vessels is crucial in the maritime framework, playing a key role in the related environmental monitoring, fisheries management and maritime/coastal security. In this scenario space-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing is a potential tool for globally monitoring the oceans and seas, providing two-dimensional high-resolution imaging capabilities in all-day and all-weather conditions. The combination of ground moving target indication (GMTI) modes with multichannel spaceborne SAR systems represents a powerful apparatus for surveillance of maritime activities. The level of readiness of such a technology for road traffic monitoring is still low, and for the marine scenario is even less mature. Some of the current space-based SAR missions include an experimental GMTI mode with reduced detection capabilities, especially for small and slow moving targets. In this framework, this doctoral dissertation focuses on the study and analysis of the GMTI limitations of current state-of-the-art SAR missions when operating over maritime scenarios and the proposal of novel and optimal multichannel SAR-GMTI architectures, providing subclutter visibility of small (reduced reflectivity) slow moving vessels. This doctoral activity carries out a transversal analysis embracing system-architecture proposal and optimization, processing strategies assessment, performance evaluation, sea/ocean clutter characterization and adequate calibration methodologies suggestion. Firstly, the scarce availability of multichannel SAR-GMTI raw data and the related restrictions to access it have raised the need to implement flexible simulation tools for SAR-GMTI performance evaluation and mission. These simulation tools allow the comparative study and evaluation of the SAR-GMTI mode operated with current SAR missions, showing the reduced ability of these missions to detect small and slow boats in subclutter visibility. Improved performance is achieved with the new multichannel architecture based on non-uniformly distributed receivers (with external deployable antennas), setting the ground for future SAR-GMTI mission development. Some experimental multichannel SAR-GMTI data sets over the sea and acquired with two instruments, airborne F-SAR and spaceborne TerraSAR-X (TSX) platforms, have been processed to evaluate their detection capabilities as well as the adequate processing strategies (including channel balancing). This doctoral activity presents also a preliminary characterization of the sea clutter returns imaged by the spaceborne TSX instrument in a three-level basis, i.e., radiometric, statistical and polarimetric descriptions using experimental polarimetric data. This study has shown that the system-dependent limitations, such as thermal noise and temporal decorrelation, play a key role in the appropriate interpretation of the data and so should be properly included in the physical backscattering models of the sea. Current and most of the upcoming SAR missions are based on active phase array antennas (APAA) technology for the operation of multiple modes of acquisitions. The related calibration is a complex procedure due to the high number of different beams to be operated. Alternative internal calibration methodologies have been proposed and analyzed in the frame of this doctoral thesis. These approaches improved the radiometric calibration performance compared to the conventional ones. The presented formulation of the system errors as well as the proposed alternative strategies set the path to extrapolate the analysis for multichannel SAR systems.L'increment continu del tràfic marítim arreu del món, amb gairebé tres quartes parts del total de mercaderies i cru transportats per mar, porta associats uns impactes canviants a nivell econòmic, ambiental, social i geopolític. La geo-informació (localització i velocitat) dels vaixells té un paper fonamental en el monitoratge ambiental, la gestió de la pesca i la seguretat marítima/costanera. Els radars d'obertura sintètica (SAR, sigles en anglès) embarcats en satèl·lits són una eina molt potent per al monitoratge global dels oceans i dels mars, gràcies a la seva capacitat de generar imatges d'alta resolució amb independència de les condicions meteorològiques i de la llum solar. La detecció de blancs mòbils terrestres (GMTI, sigles en anglès) combinada amb sistemes multicanal SAR és fonamental per a la vigilància de les activitats marítimes. El nivell de maduresa d'aquesta tecnologia per monitorar tràfic rodat és baix, però per al cas marítim encara ho és més. Algunes missions SAR orbitals inclouen el mode GMTI, però amb unes capacitats de detecció reduïdes, especialment per a blancs petits i lents. En aquest marc, la tesi doctoral es centra en l'estudi i anàlisi de les limitacions GMTI dels actuals sistemes SAR operant en entorns marítims, proposant noves configuracions SAR-GMTI multicanal optimitzades per a la detecció de vaixells petits (emmascarats pels retrons radar del mar) i que es mouen lentament. La present dissertació doctoral du a terme un estudi transversal que abasta des de la proposta i optimització de sistemes/configuracions, passant per l'avaluació de les tècniques de processat, fins a l'estudi del rendiment de la missió, caracterització del mar i la valoració de noves metodologies de calibratge. En primer terme, diverses eines de simulació flexibles s'han implementat per poder avaluar les capacitats GMTI de diferents missions tenint en compte la poca disponibilitat de dades multicanal SAR-GMTI. Aquests simuladors permeten l'estudi comparatiu de les capacitats GMTI de les missions SAR orbitals actuals, demostrant les seves reduïdes opcions per identificar vaixells emmascarats pels retorns del mar. En el marc de l'activitat de recerca s'han processat dades experimentals SAR-GMTI multicanal de sistemes aeris (F-SAR) i orbitals (TerraSAR-X), per tal d'avaluar les seves capacitats de detecció de blancs mòbils sobre entorns marítims, proposant les estratègies de processat i calibratge més adients. Com a part de l'activitat de recerca doctoral, s'ha portat a terme una caracterització preliminar dels retorns radar del mar adquirits amb el sensor orbital TerraSAR-X, amb tres nivells d'anàlisi (radiomètric, estadístic i polarimètric). Aquest estudi demostra que aspectes com el soroll tèrmic i la decorrelació temporal, dependents del propi sensor i de l'entorn dinàmic del mar, poden limitar la correcta interpretació de les dades, i per tant, s'han d'incloure en els models físics dels mecanismes de dispersió del mar. Les missions SAR tant actuals com futures es basen en l'explotació de la tecnologia de les agrupacions d'antenes de fase activa (APAA) per operar diferents modes d'adquisició. El procés de calibratge associat és molt complex atès el gran nombre de feixos que es poden utilitzar. En el marc de la tesi doctoral s'han proposat i avaluat metodologies alternatives de calibratge intern per aquests sistemes, amb un millor rendiment en comparació amb les tècniques convencionals. Aquestes estratègies de calibratge, juntament amb la corresponent formulació dels errors de sistema, estableixen les bases per a l'estudi i avaluació en sistemes multicanal SA

Design and application of microstrip leaky wave antennas for radar sensing

textThis dissertation investigates the application of the frequency-scanned beam of a microstrip leaky wave antenna (LWA) to track humans in the two-dimensional (2-D) range-azimuth plane. The history, operating principles and frequency-scanned properties of a microstrip LWA are first reviewed. The basic concept of using a microstrip LWA to track humans is verified by designing, building and testing a broadband microstrip LWA, developing the necessary processing algorithm, and collecting data using a vector network analyzer. A number of topics are then investigated to further advance the concept. First, the idea of combining the frequency-scanned antenna with a short-pulse ultra-wideband (UWB) radar is developed to realize a portable, real-time system for human tracking. The radar concept and the components of the system are discussed in detail. Line-of-sight and through-wall measurements of a human subject are carried out to demonstrate the performance. Second, a new LWA structure is proposed to achieve a narrower azimuth beam, which requires both a small leaky-wave attenuation constant and a long aperture. The transverse resonance method (TRM) is applied to analyze the proposed structure and the results are verified with measurements of a built prototype. Third, a new signal processing technique, compressive sensing, is applied to further improve the resolution in both the azimuth and down range dimensions. The technique is tested with simulation and measurement data and is shown to produce sharper target responses in both the down range and azimuth dimensions. Lastly, the radar cross-section (RCS) of a microstrip LWA is studied. The antenna mode scattering and structural mode scattering are modeled separately. A ray picture is provided to explain the observed time-domain features using the group delay of the leaky wave.Electrical and Computer Engineerin

Roadmap on signal processing for next generation measurement systems

Signal processing is a fundamental component of almost any sensor-enabled system, with a wide range of applications across different scientific disciplines. Time series data, images, and video sequences comprise representative forms of signals that can be enhanced and analysed for information extraction and quantification. The recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning are shifting the research attention towards intelligent, data-driven, signal processing. This roadmap presents a critical overview of the state-of-the-art methods and applications aiming to highlight future challenges and research opportunities towards next generation measurement systems. It covers a broad spectrum of topics ranging from basic to industrial research, organized in concise thematic sections that reflect the trends and the impacts of current and future developments per research field. Furthermore, it offers guidance to researchers and funding agencies in identifying new prospects.AerodynamicsMicrowave Sensing, Signals & System

High Frame Rate Ultrasound Velocimetry of Fast Blood Flow Dynamics

In this thesis we develop and validate high frame rate ultrasound sequences for use with echo-particle image velocimetry (in 2D and 3D), with the aim of measuring the high velocity blood flow patterns in the left ventricle and abdominal aorta