Three dimensional image synthesis: theory and application

Abstract : Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) provides full-range detection and classification of sea-based and air-based targets through two-dimensional range-Doppler imaging. The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) has developed a custom integrated circuit that can simulate false ISAR images in order to fool enemy ISAR platforms. To validate specific hardware choices within this design, this thesis explores the effect on image quality of an overflow occurring within the final 16-bit summation adder of this circuit, Three solutions to the problem of overflows are presented and analyzed. The logical extension of ISAR development, that of three-dimensional target imaging, is next presented through the discussion of 3D monopulse radar, 3D interferometer ISAR, and a 3D, three-receiver ISAR. The relative strengths of each approach are compared, along with both MATLAB and Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics software models created for one specific 3D ISAR implementation. Through the superposition of 2D ISAR images it is shown how 3D ISAR images may be created. Moreover, emphasis is placed on using this knowledge to both enhance current 2D ISAR techniques and to modify the false-target chip design to handle 3D ISAR return signals. The thesis concludes with a study of Non-Uniform Rational 13-Splines, through which the X3D software model was created.