SAR data focusing using seismic migration techniques

Abstract

The focusing of synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) data using migration techniques quite similar to those used in geophysics is treated. The algorithm presented works in the ω-kx domain. Because time delays can be easily accommodated with phase shifts that increase linearly with ω, range migration poses no problem. The algorithm is described in plane geometry first, where range migration and phase history can be exactly matched. The effects of the sphericity of the Earth, of the Earth's rotation, and of the satellite trajectory curvature are taken into account, showing that the theoretically achievable spatial resolution is well within the requirements of present day and near future SAR missions. Terrestrial swaths as wide as 100 km can be focused simultaneously with no serious degradation. The algorithm has been tested with synthetic data, with Seasat-A data, and with airplane data (NASA-AIR). The experimental results fully support the theoretical analysis