Estimation of doppler centroid frequency in spaceborne ScanSAR

Doppler centroid frequency is an essential parameter in the imaging processing of the Scanning mode Synthetic Aperture Radar （ScanSAR）. Inaccurate Doppler centroid frequency will result in ghost images in imaging result. In this letter, the principle and algorithms of Doppler centroid frequency estimation are introduced. Then the echo data of ScanSAR system is analyzed. Based on the algorithms of energy balancing and correlation Doppler estimator in the estimation of Doppler centroid frequency in strip mode SAR, an improved method for Doppler centroid frequency estimation in ScanSAR is proposed. The method has improved the accuracy of Doppler centroid frequency estimation in ScanSAR by zero padding between burst data. Finally, the proposed method is validated with the processing of ENVironment SATellite Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar （ENVISAT ASAR） wide swath raw data.     

A combined SAR Doppler centroid estimation scheme based upon signalphase

This paper describes a complete end-to-end Doppler centroid estimation scheme, which determines the fractional PRF part of the Doppler centroid. It also resolves the Doppler ambiguity. Experiments show that the scheme works successfully over various terrain types, including land, water, and ice, and that it requires only a modest amount of SAR data to perform reliably. The proposed scheme has an added advantage that it is directly applicable to RADARSAT and ENVISAT ScanSAR data. The scheme uses two complementary Doppler estimation algorithms, both utilizing the phase information embedded in the radar signal. In each algorithm, upper and lower parts of the available bandwidth of the received signal are extracted to form two range looks. The first algorithm, called multilook cross correlation (MLCC), computes the average cross correlation coefficient between adjacent azimuth samples for each of the two looks and then takes the difference between the angles of the two coefficients. The Doppler ambiguity is determined from the angle difference. The fractional pulse repetition frequency (PRF) part is also determined from the cross correlation coefficients. In the second algorithm, called multilook beat frequency (MLBF), the two looks are multiplied together to generate a beat signal. The beat frequency is then estimated and the Doppler ambiguity determined from the beat frequency. The MLCC algorithm performs better with low contrast scenes while the MLBF works better with high contrast ones. Although each algorithm works well on its own with sufficient averaging, it is also possible to use quality measures to select the best result from either algorithm. In this way, scenes of different content or contrast can be handled reliably. This paper presents the analysis of the two algorithms, explaining why their performance is affected by scene contrast, which is confirmed by experimental results with ERS-1 and JERS-1 data     

Adding Sensitivity to the MLBF Doppler Centroid Estimator

The multilook beat frequency (MLBF) algorithm is the Doppler centroid estimator most commonly used in practice to solve the Doppler ambiguity. However, it still makes errors, notably in medium- or low-contrast scenes. In this paper, we present two ways in which the estimation sensitivity of the MLBF algorithm can be improved. First, we give a more thorough frequency-domain explanation of how the MLBF algorithm works and explain how cross beating and range migration cause estimation difficulties. The first improvement to the algorithm replaces the fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based beat frequency estimator with a more accurate one that uses phase increments. It avoids the FFT limitations of resolution and quantization, especially when the signal is discontinuous in one range cell due to range cell migration or burst mode operation (ScanSAR). A second improvement uses range cell migration correction to straighten the target trajectories before the beat frequency estimator is applied. This has the effect of narrowing the bandwidth of the beat signal and reducing the effect of cross beating. Finally, experiments with RADARSAT-1 data are used to illustrate the improved estimation accuracy of the modified algorithm     

基于多普勒谱优化的HRWS SAR系统通道相位偏差估计算法

方位多通道SAR系统通过抑制多普勒模糊,能够实现高分辨率和宽测绘带(HRWS)对地观测。针对通道间幅相偏差会导致成像结果中出现目标模糊分量的问题,该文提出一种通道相位偏差估计算法。该算法利用通道间相位偏差会造成多通道重构方位谱在主瓣内展宽的特性,通过优化多谱勒谱能够实现通道相位偏差的有效估计。该算法在通道相位偏差估计前不需要进行多普勒中心估计,减小了由多普勒中心估计不准引入的误差,并且在低信噪比的情况下仍然具有良好的估计性能。基于仿真数据和实测数据的实验验证了该文算法的有效性。     

Optimum look weighting for burst-mode and ScanSAR processing

Burst-mode and ScanSAR systems record only short pieces of Doppler histories; the energy contained in each echo ensemble and, hence, the intensity in the final burst image (look) depends on the scatterer's position relative to the time of the burst event according to the azimuth antenna pattern, an effect known as scalloping. Most systems employ a burst period short enough that adjacent looks overlap allowing for individual weighting of the looks before summation. The paper introduces a new class of look weighting functions for burst-mode and ScanSAR processing that correct for scalloping while simultaneously keeping the S/N ratio constant over azimuth and maximizing the equivalent number of looks. The achievable radiometric resolution and the sensitivity to Doppler centroid estimation errors are discussed. A 3-look example using ASAR parameters illustrates the proposed weighting functions     

ScanSAR的Scalloping辐射误差研究

由于在观测带内采用了多波束扫描的工作模式,使得ScanSAR产生了固有的周期性的scalloping效应,影响了ScanSAR的辐射特性。该文基于ScanSAR工作模式的特点,研究了scalloping产生的机理和性质,定量地分析了scalloping引起的辐射误差以及多普勒中心误差与scalloping的关系,并研究了对scalloping进行校正后的剩余误差问题。     

Doppler centroid estimation for ScanSAR data

We introduce a novel accurate technique to estimate the Doppler centroid (DC) in ScanSAR missions. The technique starts from the ambiguous DC measures in the subswaths and uses a method alternative to standard unwrapping to undo the jumps in estimates induced by modulo pulse repetition frequency (PRF) measures. The proposed alternative is less error prone than the usual unwrapping techniques. Doppler Ambiguity is then solved by implementing a maximum-likelihood estimate that exploits the different PRFs used in different subswaths. An azimuth pointing of the antenna that does not change with subswaths, or that changes in a known way, is assumed. However, if the PRF diversity is strong enough, unknown small changes in azimuth pointing are tolerated and accurately estimated. This estimator is much simpler and more efficient, than those in the literature. Results achieved with both RADARSAT 1 and ENVISAT ScanSAR data are reported.     

一种基于局域中心频率的SAR图像舰船方位向速度估计方法

针对现有船速估计算法大多数只能估计出舰船距离向速度的问题,该文提出一种基于合成孔径雷达(SAR)图像局域中心频率的舰船方位向速度估计方法。首先分析了动目标在SAR图像局域多普勒中心频率的变化规律,并推导了利用中心频率变化率估计目标方位向速度的理论公式。然后给出了根据SAR图像局域方位向功率谱的概率密度函数,利用最大似然估计算法估计中心频率变化率的方法。同时,对所提方法的精度与适用性应用性进行分析。最后,通过仿真和实测数据,将该方法的估计结果与直接计算调频率获得的结果进行对比分析。结果表明,相对于调频率法,该方法具有更高的估计精度,验证了所提方法的有效性。     

基于最小熵DCFT的双基地SAR多普勒参数估计

多普勒参数估计是SAR成像技术研究中的一项关键技术,多普勒参数估计精度将直接影响机载双基地SAR系统成像质量,为了实现对感兴趣目标区域有效地成像,需要对回波信号的参数进行准确估计。本文提出基于最小熵的离散调频傅里叶法(DCFT),该方法基于线性调频信号,可同时估计多普勒质心和多普勒斜率,并用RD算法对双基地SAR仿真数据成像,通过仿真验证了该方法的性能。     

Processing of Sliding Spotlight and TOPS SAR Data Using Baseband Azimuth Scaling

This paper presents an efficient phase preserving processor for the focusing of data acquired in sliding spotlight and Terrain Observation by Progressive Scans (TOPS) imaging modes. They share in common a linear variation of the Doppler centroid along the azimuth dimension, which is due to a steering of the antenna (either mechanically or electronically) throughout the data take. Existing approaches for the azimuth processing can become inefficient due to the additional processing to overcome the folding in the focused domain. In this paper, a new azimuth scaling approach is presented to perform the azimuth processing, whose kernel is exactly the same for sliding spotlight and TOPS modes. The possibility to use the proposed approach to process data acquired in the ScanSAR mode, as well as a discussion concerning staring spotlight, is also included. Simulations with point targets and real data acquired by TerraSAR-X in sliding spotlight and TOPS modes are used to validate the developed algorithm.      

星载SAR多普勒参数估计的改进方法

多普勒参数的精度直接影响着星载合成孔径雷达的成像质量。文中提出了一种基于分数阶傅里叶变换的星载SAR多普勒参数估计的改进方法，对多普勒中心频率和多普勒调频率在同一过程中进行估计，在提高精度的同时降低了计算复杂度。对真实Radarsat-1数据的估计结果验证了该方法的有效性。     

A NEW METHOD OF DOPPLER CENTROID ESTIMATION FOR SPACEBORNE SAR-AMPLITUDE CORRELATION METHOD

The linear relationship between Doppler centroid and range walking in spaceborne SAR data is analyzed, and a new method to estimate Doppler centroid is proposed, which is so called amplitude correlation method. Compared with clutter-lock method which is widely used now, the new method has much less computation burden and is able to give higher estimation accuracy for a quasi-homogeneous scene or a non-homogeneous scene. This is clearly verified by the experimental results of estimating Doppler centroid for SEASAT-A raw data.     

太赫兹视频SAR多普勒中心估计方法

受外界因素影响,机载合成孔径雷达(SAR)的飞行航迹与理想状态相比往往存在偏差,同时平台导航系统精确度有限,故需要从回波数据中精确估计多普勒中心频率,从而进行距离走动校正。多普勒中心估计误差决定了距离走动的校正精确度,从而决定了合成孔径成像方位压缩效果,是影响SAR成像质量的关键。在机载太赫兹成像雷达系统中,对运动补偿精确度的要求达到了亚毫米级,从而对多普勒中心估计误差提出了更高的要求。传统的多普勒中心估计方法在正侧视或小斜视模式下具有良好的效果,但在具有一定斜视角的模式下往往偏差较大。为了在多模式下有效完成太赫兹视频SAR距离走动校正,本文基于实测数据结果,从传统的包络估计方法出发,探究了一种改进包络估计的多普勒中心估计方法。通过比较,本文所提出的改进包络估计方法在对太赫兹视频SAR正侧视模式回波数据的多普勒中心估计上与另外两种传统方法都具有很高精确度,但在本文所提方法扫描模式下对97%的图像都作出了较为精确的估计,精确度与鲁棒性明显高于另外两种传统方法。结果说明了本文所提出的多普勒中心估计方法具有更好的鲁棒性、更高的效率。这一工作有助于高频段SAR多模式下的成像研究。     

Ambiguity-free Doppler centroid estimation technique for airborne SAR using the Radon transform

In synthetic aperture radar (SAR) signal processing, the Doppler centroid estimation technique, called the "clutter-lock", is important because it is related to the signal-to-noise ratio, geometric distortion, and radiometric error of the final SAR image. Conventional algorithms have either ambiguity problems or somewhat high computational load. Using the fact that the Doppler centroid and the squint angle are directly related, we propose an ambiguity-free Doppler centroid estimation technique using Radon transform, named geometry-based Doppler estimator. The proposed algorithm is computationally efficient and shows good performance of estimating the absolute Doppler centroid.     

A new method of doppler centroid estimation for spaceborne SAR—Amplitude correlation method

The linear relationship between Doppler centroid and range walking in spaceborne SAR data is analyzed, and a new method to estimate Doppler centroid is proposed, which is so called amplitude correlation method. Compared with clutter-lock method which is widely used now, the new method has much less computation burden and is able to give higher estimation accuracy for a quasi-homogeneous scene or a non-homogeneous scene. This is clearly verifled by the experimental results of estimating Doppler centroid for SEaSAT-A raw data.     

ScanSAR processing using standard high precision SAR algorithms

Processing ScanSAR or burst-mode SAR data by standard high precision algorithms (e.g., range/Doppler, wavenumber domain, or chirp scaling) is shown to be an interesting alternative to the normally used SPECAN (or deramp) algorithm. Long burst trains with zeroes inserted into the interburst intervals can be processed coherently. This kind of processing preserves the phase information of the data-an important aspect for ScanSAR interferometry. Due to the interference of the burst images the impulse response shows a periodic modulation that can be eliminated by a subsequent low-pass filtering of the detected image. This strategy allows an easy and safe adaptation of existing SAR processors to ScanSAR data if throughput is not an issue. The images are automatically consistent with regular SAR mode images both with respect to geometry and radiometry. The amount and diversity of the software for a multimode SAR processor are reduced. The impulse response and transfer functions of a burst-mode end-to-end system are derived. Special attention is drawn to the achievable image quality, the radiometric accuracy, and the effective number of looks. The scalloping effect known from burst-mode systems can be controlled by the spectral weighting of the processor transfer function. It is shown that the fact that the burst cycle period is in general not an integer multiple of the sampling grid distance does not complicate the algorithm. An image example using X-SAR data for simulation of a burst system is presented     

一种稳健的机载雷达杂波多普勒参数估计方法

基于杂波多普勒分布(DDC)模型,该文研究了杂波协方差矩阵的特征值能量分布特点,提出了一种稳健的机载雷达杂波多普勒参数估计方法。该方法对杂波多普勒中心估计的精度和现有常见方法可比拟,而对杂波谱宽估计的精度优于现有常见方法,尤其适用于机载雷达运动目标检测(MTD)等实际应用背景下数据样本较少的情况。仿真实验证明了该方法的有效性。     

星载SAR多普勒质心估记的新方法幅度相关法

本文分析了星载合成孔径雷达(SAR)多普勒质心与距离走动之间的线性关系,提出了一种估计多普勒质心的新方法幅度相关法。利用星载SEASAT-A SAR原始数据,讨论了该方法与目前最常用的杂波锁定法的差别。结果表明,采用幅度相关法具有运算量小和在准均匀或非均匀场景下估计精度高的优越性。     

WIDE SWATH FMCW SAR DATA PROCESSING IN SQUINT MODE简

This paper concentrates on the data processing of Frequency Modulation Continuous Wave （FMCW）, Synthetic Aperture Radar （SAR） in the case of wide swath and squint mode. In the mode, the Doppler centroid dramatically varies along slant range compared to conventional pulsed-SAR. This poses a challenge for system design and signal processing since a very large azimuth bandwidth would be introduced. In the paper, we accommodate the Doppler centroid variations with range by an im- proved spectral-length extension method, where a bulk range shift and updated Doppler centroid variations are introduced to greatly reduce the azimuth aliasing with respective to the existing methods Moreover, an image formation approach that integrates wave number domain algorithm is presented to focus the raw data of FMCW SAR in the case of wide swath and squint mode. Point target simulation experiment demonstrates the advantages of the presented method.