Prospects for three‐dimensional projective and tomographic imaging radar networks

Abstract

Results of a study demonstrating the feasibility of broadband and speckle‐free projective imaging of a complex shaped scattering object in the 6‐17 GHz range with centimeter resolution are presented. We show how angular, spectral, and polarization diversities can be combined in the data acquisition process, with a unique target‐derived reference technique to access the three‐dimensional Fourier space of the scatterer cost‐effectively. Image retrieval algorithms, based on the projection slice theorem and knowledge of object symmetry, are utilized in obtaining images of a model aircraft with near optical resolution. The implications for high‐resolution three‐dimensional tomographic imaging radar networks are discussed.