Radar imaging from ramp response signatures

A new approach to synthetic image generation of radar targets from electromagnetic scattering measurements is described and illustrated. Complex harmonic samples of the backscattered response at ten frequencies lying in the low resonance range of the target response spectrum are used as input data for this approach. A periodic ramp response waveform synthesized from these data is shown to be correlated to the cross-sectional area versus distance along the line-of-sight, or profile function, of the targets measured. A technique using profile function data at three orthogonal target look angles for the mathematical specification of a three-dimensional 'approximate limiting surface' is described. Visual images simulating an isometric view of the surface are then constructed. Images produced from model measurements of several target shapes are presented to illustrate some characteristics of this imaging process.