Anomalous propagation limitations to high-resolution SAR performance

We show that the performance of future high-resolution SAR modes will be limited by anomalous propagation effects, rather than by platform measurement errors, or focusing algorithm limitations, or RF wavelength. This is established by calculating the phase history distortions that result from specified atmospheric temperature profiles. Simulations show the effects of such phase distortions upon SAR images.

[1]  David K. Barton.  Radar system analysis , 1976 .

[2]  M. Denny.  Refracted propagation effects for airborne radar , 2000, Record of the IEEE 2000 International Radar Conference [Cat. No. 00CH37037].

[3]  Mark Denny.  Multipath effects due to anomalous propagation , 2001, SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing.

[4]  Charles V. Jakowatz,et al.  Phase gradient autofocus-a robust tool for high resolution SAR phase correction , 1994 .

[5]  Armin W. Doerry,et al.  Lynx: a high-resolution synthetic aperture radar , 1999, Defense, Security, and Sensing.