Digital SAR processing using a fast polynomial transform

Abstract

In this paper, a new digital processing algorithm is developed for producing images from SEASAT synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. For reasons of ecomony, SEASAT presently operates in the stripmapping mode rather than the potentially higher resolution spotlight mode [1]. This algorithm applies the fast polynomial transform (FPT) for computing the two-dimensional cyclic correlation of the raw echo data with the impulse response of a point target. This two-dimensional correlation algorithm solves the range migration problem. It is demonstrated that this SAR processing technique is readily implemented on a general purpose computer. Actual results of SEASAT SAR imagery are given in this paper.