Comparison of two algorithms for correcting zero-Doppler clutter in turntable ISAR imagery

Abstract

Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging on a turntable-tower test range permits convenient generation of high resolution two- and three-dimensional images of radar targets under controlled conditions. However, turntable ISAR images suffer zero-Doppler clutter (ZDC) artifacts not found in airborne SAR images. ISAR images formed at Georgia Tech.'s Electromagnetic Test Facility (EMTF) are used to demonstrate and compare two signal processing techniques to suppress zero-Doppler clutter while minimizing effects on the target signature. The first removes ZDC components in the data domain, whereas the second performs cancellation in the image domain.