SIMULATION MODEL OF RADAR IMAGING TECHNIQUE WITH MODIFIED CW-LFM SAR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20535/2411-2976.22025.68-80Keywords:
synthetic aperture radar, CW-LFM signals, decorrelation, simulation model, image quality metricsAbstract
Background. Modern synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems are crucial for Earth observation, especially in conditions where traditional optical systems fail, such as low visibility or adverse weather. Continuous wave linearly frequency modulated (CW-LFM) signals are promising for their energy efficiency and simplified hardware implementation, but they present significant signal processing challenges, including phase coherence preservation and spectral artifacts removal.
Objective. The study aims to develop and simulate a structural model of a compact SAR system based on CW-LFM signals, with a focus on improving image quality through advanced signal processing algorithms, specifically the use of decorrelation techniques for reference signals.
Methods. The study involves a mathematical formulation of radar imaging processes, development of a simulation model based on the proposed structural scheme, and implementation of signal processing operations such as quadrature detection, discrete Fourier transforms, and digital filtering. A new decorrelation method for reference signals is introduced and evaluated against classical approaches using various image quality metrics.
Results. Simulation results show that the proposed decorrelation technique improves image quality metrics, including SSIM, PSNR, and NCC. The method helps reduce speckle size and enhances image resolution. Artifacts caused by spectrum limitations were effectively suppressed using weighting functions. Quantitative evaluations using both real and artificially generated radar images confirmed the advantage of the proposed method over classical techniques.
Conclusions. The developed simulation model and signal processing improvements demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of using decorrelation-enhanced CW-LFM SAR systems for high-resolution radar imaging. The results can support further research and practical implementations in compact airborne and unmanned platforms for civil and defence applications.
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