极化雷达测量体制研究进展

文中从极化雷达发展趋势的角度,对极化测量关键技术进行了梳理,明确了极化测量雷达体制的概念和内涵,并通过暗室测量实验和仿真实验比较了各测量体制间的差异和优缺点,证明了在目标极化特性快起伏情况下,分时极化测量不能完整准确地反映目标极化特性,此时瞬时极化测量的性能明显优于分时极化测量,并指出了紧凑极化体制的特点及应用。     

宽带全极化垂直昆虫雷达设计及校准关键技术研究

宽带全极化垂直昆虫雷达是一种利用宽带信号实现空中单只昆虫分辨,利用多极化通道实现昆虫全极化测量的雷达系统。当被测昆虫体型在不同极化轴向的电磁波反射功率可明显分辨时,该雷达可利用“当极化方向平行于昆虫体轴时,回波功率最大”的基本原理,通过测量昆虫极化散射矩阵,获取昆虫体轴方向,对研究昆虫定向迁飞规律具有重要的作用。当前垂直昆虫雷达采用机械旋转馈源的方法,分时测量昆虫目标的极化散射矩阵,该方法同时受机械旋转误差、极化分时测量时目标运动的误差以及极化通道稳定性随有源电路时变所引入的测量误差,测量精度不高,为了实现昆虫的高分辨全极化散射特性测量,本文提出了一种高极化隔离的频率步进正交相位编码的宽带波形设计以及极化内定标方法,开发了一部宽带全极化垂直昆虫雷达系统,最终通过理论方法仿真分析与外场试验测试,证明了该雷达系统可实现昆虫同时全极化宽带的稳定测量,验证了昆虫体轴朝向的测量精度。      

全极化雷达幅相不一致对昆虫朝向估计的影响

昆虫雷达通过测量波束中昆虫的极化信息,估计昆虫头部朝向,进而完成对昆虫迁飞轨迹的监测。但是,全极化雷达系统中的非理想因素会影响到昆虫头部朝向的估计精度。为了研究全极化系统幅相不一致对朝向测量的影响,本文对昆虫极化散射特征和全极化系统建模,并对朝向误差进行分析,得到了朝向误差和通道间幅相不一致的关系。理论分析和仿真结果表明昆虫朝向误差同时与系统、自身散射特性以及真实朝向相关,系统幅相不一致会导致估计出来的昆虫朝向偏向极化方向。这些工作为全极化系统设计提供了新的思路。      

A new calibration algorithm of wide-band polarimetric measurementsystem

The principle and experimental results of a new self-consistent calibration algorithm for a wideband polarimetric scattering measurement system are presented. The calibration targets include a flat plate, a dihedral corner reflector, and a rotated dihedral corner reflector. The rotation angle of the third calibrator can be derived in the calibration process and used to verify the calibration performance. Experimental results show that the calculated rotation angle of the third calibrator over the operation bandwidth is in good agreement with its actual angle, hence it provides a self-consistent parameter of the calibration algorithm. Based on the signal-to-noise consideration, an optimal rotation angle for a dihedral corner reflector is found to be 22.5°. This calibration technique is also useful in characterizing the frequency and polarization responses of dual-polarization antennas     

系统误差对点目标极化散射测量的影响

首先推广了现有极化定标模型。在此基础上，评估了极化通道幅相不平衡、天线串扰、法拉第旋转、指向误差角、干扰和系统环境噪声对点目标全极化散射测量的影响，并考虑科学研究和应用需求对上述参数的约束条件，从而得到对极化合成孔径雷达系统设计和极化定标有参考价值的结论。     

Calibration of wide-band polarimetric measurement system usingthree perfectly polarization-isolated calibrators

An improved calibration method for a wideband polarimetric measurement system using three partly unknown, perfectly polarization-isolated calibrators is presented, with experimental results measured from 7 to 17 GHz. The cross-polarized information is provided by rotating the third calibrator to an arbitrary angle with respect to the radar range direction. Only the copolarization terms in the polarimetric scattering matrix (PSM) of the first calibrator are required to be specified. The copolarized scattering properties, including the range information of the other two calibrators and the rotation angle of the third calibrator, can be acquired in the calibration process and used to verify the calibration accuracy     

瞬态极化雷达中极化测量与校准的数学原理及实验验证

瞬态极化雷达是一种具有两路正交极化通道独立收发能力的新体制雷达,可实现目标极化散射矩阵的瞬时测量。在对传统的瞬态极化雷达目标极化散射矩阵测量原理进行分析的基础上,详细介绍了基于模糊函数矩阵的极化测量新方法,给出了相应的信号处理流程;并提出了基于单个金属球定标体的极化散射矩阵测量结果校准方法;最后介绍了基于瞬态极化雷达试验系统开展的仿真实验、外场测量实验及实验结果。     

Fully polarimetric bistatic radar scattering behavior of forestedhills

The bistatic radar scattering measurements of forested hills were performed at grazing incidence and at azimuth scattering angles from 28° to 66° from the forward scatter plane. Using pulse-to-pulse switching between orthogonal transmitted polarizations, the radar simultaneously measures two orthogonally polarized components of the scattered wave to obtain full polarimetric information about the scattering process. These are the first fully polarimetric terrain clutter measurements to be conducted at large bistatic angles. The complete Stokes matrix, computed by averaging successive realizations of the polarization scattering matrix, is used to examine the polarization sensitivity of the bistatic clutter. It is found that the polarization state of the EM wave scattered out of the plane of incidence strongly depends on the polarization orientation of the incident electric field. Unlike the monostatic case, these two incident wave polarization states are found to produce substantially different scattered wave behavior when trees are viewed at large bistatic angles. Scattered fields resulting from vertically oriented incident fields are found to be highly polarized and to produce bistatic clutter power levels that are strongly dependent on the polarization of the receiving antenna. In contrast, horizontally oriented incident fields are found to produce weakly polarized scattered waves with bistatic clutter power levels that are insensitive to the polarization of the receiving antenna     

基于极化定标的极化隔离度空变分析

极化定标是多极化合成孔径雷达(PolSAR)系统获取真实目标极化散射矩阵的必要步骤。文中针对极化定标过程中存在的极化隔离度距离向空变特性,采用基于无源角反射器的极化定标算法作为仿真工具,对PolSAR系统极化隔离度绝对值及其空变范围对图像中极化隔离度的影响规律进行了分析。分析结果表明:当用于极化修正的极化误差矩阵与PolSAR系统自身极化隔离度不匹配时,极化修正将会使得修正后的图像极化隔离度变差。因此,在进行极化定标时,应当尽可能在定标场沿距离向布设一定间距的多组定标器,从而获取PolSAR系统在整个距离向成像带宽内的极化隔离度拟合曲线,在进行极化修正时对图像中距离向不同的像素点采用曲线中对应位置的极化误差矩阵进行修正,进而得到尽可能接近目标真实极化散射矩阵的估计值。     

全极化雷达极化标校技术研究

受各种非理想因素的影响,极化测量雷达难以直接测得目标准确的极化散射矩阵（polarization scattering matrix,PSM）,因此,高精度极化标定是准确获取和利用目标极化信息的基础.本文从极化标校的基本原理出发,建立了PSM测量的误差模型,分析了主要误差因素对PSM测量结果的影响,阐述了无源和有源极化标定方法并对其性能和适用场景进行比较,分析了极化标校器的参数对极化标校精度的影响.分析结果表明,目标的交叉极化分量与极化测量雷达系统的极化隔离度处在相同水平时,目标的交叉极化分量测量结果会明显偏离其真值,通过极化隔离度优于测量系统隔离度无源或有源极化定标体对系统进行标校可以减小系统极化隔离度带来的测量误差.本文工作为极化定标体的研制和全极化测量雷达的系统标校奠定了基础.     

雷达目标极化散射矩阵的瞬时测量方法

目标极化特性的瞬时测量是极化雷达探测与目标识别等领域非常关心的基础性问题.本文针对频移脉冲波形,研究了互易条件下目标极化特性瞬时测量问题.建立了瞬时极化测量雷达的目标回波模型,在深入分析了目标回波极化特性的基础上,提出了一种基于离散时间傅立叶变换的完整极化散射矩阵频域估计算法,证明其为无偏估计,给出了估计精度的理论公式和实验结果.     

雷达动目标极化散射矩阵瞬时测量技术

研究了雷达运动目标的信息获取问题,提出了运动目标极化散射矩阵瞬时测量方法。雷达正交双极化天线同时发射正、负调频斜率线性调频信号,目标的正交双极化回波分别与2个线性调频信号进行匹配滤波,利用正、负斜率线性调频信号的模糊函数特性测量目标时延和多普勒频移,通过求解线性方程组消除极化-多普勒耦合,精确得到目标极化散射矩阵的4个元素。该方法可以在单个脉冲周期内同时获取目标的距离信息、速度信息和极化信息。仿真实验验证了该方法的有效性。     

伪装材料表面偏振散射的几何光学解

散射光的偏振特征可以作为遥感信息来识别目标,给伪装技术带来了新的威胁.文中采用偏振相机在光学与红外波段测试了染料型和涂料型伪装材料的偏振散射光谱,研究了不同探测波段下粗糙材料表面的偏振散射机理.研究结果表明:染料型伪装材料的偏振度很小,当光源以不同的入射角照射其表面时,偏振度基本保持不变;涂料型伪装材料的偏振度较大,且随着入射角的增大,其散射光的偏振度也逐渐升高;材料散射光的偏振度与表面粗糙度成反比,染料型伪装材料具有较大的表面粗糙度,在与入射光的作用过程中多次散射占优,因此,其偏振度很小.利用几何光学理论分析了材料表面的偏振散射机理,分析结果与实验结论相吻合.在一定条件下,伪装材料的偏振散射特征与背景不同,偏振信息在伪装目标识别方面具有重要的军事应用价值.     

基于和差波束极化特性的目标极化散射矩阵测量方法研究

该文建立了一种基于常规单脉冲体制的目标全极化散射矩阵测量算法。首先证明了该型雷达天线具有复杂的极化结构,并且对回波信号的极化特性有一定的敏感性。利用单脉冲雷达和差通道的极化特性在获取目标角度信息的同时利用一个脉冲重复周期即可完成目标极化散射矩阵的测量,降低了全极化单脉冲雷达研发的系统复杂度和设计成本,通过电磁计算和仿真分析验证了上述研究的正确性。这对于开发现有雷达装备的极化测量处理能力、提升其抗干扰和目标识别能力具有一定的启发和指导意义。     

Single reference, three target calibration and error correction formonostatic, polarimetric free space measurements

The authors present a scheme for absolute calibration of a polarimetric scattering range. All free-space polarimetric radar cross section (RCS) and antenna measurements are subject to errors like coupling and residual reflections. The modeling of these errors results in a 12-term error correction. The procedure for the error correction with three linear independent calibration targets and an isolation measurement is shown. Based on network analysis, a single reference calibration is introduced. This single reference calibration requires the precise calculation of only one reference target. As single references, spheres or flat plates are used. The references of the other targets are determined by the calibration procedure. The single reference calibration is suitable for all narrow and wideband, complex, polarimetric RCS, and antenna measurements. Measurements are shown for different targets which demonstrate the benefits of the single reference calibration     

Scattering from breaking gravity waves without wind

Scattering experiments from breaking gravity waves conducted at a wave tank facility at small grazing angles in the absence of wind are analyzed. Breaking gravity waves are studied using a fully plane polarimetric horizontal (HH), vertical (VV), vertically transmitted and horizontally received polarization (VH), and horizontally transmitted and vertically received polarization (HV) pulse-chirped X-band (8.5-9.6 GHz) radar in conjunction with optical instruments: the plane polarimetric optical specular event detector (OSED) and side-looking camera (SLC). Spatially and temporally resolved radar backscatter has been measured and temporally correlated to the data obtained from the optical diagnostics. The experiments yield the following results: (1) enhanced scattering compared to Bragg scattering levels occurs throughout the evolutionary process of wave-breaking, i.e., the radar scatters strongly from both the unbroken and broken surfaces; (2) an explanation is found for the observation that the scatterer Doppler frequency is slightly less than the Doppler frequency corresponding to the fundamental wave phase speed; (3) a representative non-Bragg cross section of a breaking wave can be obtained; and (4) a breaking wave surface is found to be an efficient depolarizer     

Development of a ground-based polarimetric broadband SAR system for noninvasive ground-truth validation in vegetation monitoring

We have developed a ground-based polarimetric broadband synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system for noninvasive ground-truth validation in polarimetric SAR remote sensing of terrestrial vegetation cover. This system consists of a vector network analyzer, one dual-polarized antenna, and an antenna positioner. It can be operated in a frequency range from 50 MHz to 20 GHz, with a scanning aperture of 20 m in the horizontal and 1.5 m in the vertical direction. Tests carried out with standard reflectors showed that the polarimetric measurement capabilities of this system are satisfactory. Using the polarimetric ground-based SAR (GB-SAR) system, we carried out measurements on a specific vegetation cover pertinent to the remote sensing of forested regions within Sendai City, consisting of three different kinds of trees common within the Kawauchi Campus of Tohoku University. Measurements were collected in spring, summer, and autumn. Three-dimensional (3-D) polarization-sensitive images were reconstructed from the acquired data. Analysis of the 3-D polarimetric images of each measurement found differences (at times strong differences) among the polarization signatures. There were stronger reflections in all of the HH, VH, VV images in the second (summer) measurement, especially in the VH image, due to the substantial growth of branches and leaves in summer. This ground-truth validation system provided valuable information about the scattering mechanisms of the three trees selected for analysis in different seasons, which can be detected by broadband polarimetric ground-based SAR measurements. The experimental results demonstrate the excellent polarimetric performance of the newly developed SAR imaging system, which should find many useful and immediate applications in noninvasive ground-truth validation of diverse terrestrial vegetation covers.     

A comparison between different polarimetric measurement schemes

The usefulness of polarization information in remote sensing applications has been clearly demonstrated in the last two decades. Land covers and meteorological targets are complex and their backscatter returns are time varying. Their polarimetric characteristics should be determined in terms of second order statistics of scattering matrix elements. These are contained. in the polarimetric covariance matrix. Estimation of polarimetric covariance matrix elements has been addressed by different authors based on different scattering matrix measurement methods. The most widely used and implemented method consists in the alternate transmission of two orthogonal polarizations while. receiving with both. Recently, a method that considers simultaneous transmission of two orthogonal polarizations, which are phase coded with orthogonal signals, has been proposed. Another method, specifically developed to obtain the polarimetric covariance matrix, is based on transmitting three different polarizations and receiving their corresponding co-polar and cross-polar counterparts. Different data sets result from each measurement technique and different estimators of polarimetric covariance matrix elements have been developed for the different data sets available. These various methods are investigated in here. Based on simulated data the performance of the different estimators under different working conditions are analyzed. Effects on the estimators of operation frequency, pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and temporal properties of targets are discussed     

Interpretation of the Polarimetric Co-Polarization Phase Tern in Radar Images Obtained with the JPL Airborne L-Band SAR System

The utilization of both polarimetric amplitude and relative phase terms of the polarization scattering matrix [S] given for each pixel, is pursued for polarimetric SAR imagery interpretation. The existing amplitude-only backscattering approaches hitherto used are extended and modified to accommodate the interpretation of information contained in the amplitude and/or phase terms. Both a vector radiative transfer model for surface versus volume scattering from rough terrain with and without vegetation canopy and a high-frequency electrical curvature model for perfectly conducting surfaces are examined to come up with theoretical models that out-perform other hitherto known approaches. The developed models agree with the excellent polarimetric SAR imagery recently obtained with the JPL CV-990 dual-polarization L-band (1.225 GHz) SAR system. Recommendations are made on how to further perfect the system for integration in the SIR-C and other future polarimetric SIR-SAR systems.