Multiple-input multiple-output synthetic aperture ladar system for wide-range swath with high azimuth resolution

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Optical Engineering
• Remote Sensing Technology

Background:

• Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) Synthetic Aperture Ladar (SAL) systems face a trade-off between high azimuth resolution and wide-range swath.
• The limited range swath in SISO SAL restricts its application scope.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) SAL system to address the limitations of SISO SAL.
• To achieve both wide-range swath and high azimuth resolution simultaneously.

Main Methods:

• The proposed MIMO SAL system utilizes a low Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) to avoid range ambiguity.
• A multi-channel approach combined with adaptive digital beam-forming processes unambiguous azimuth wide-spectrum signals.
• Simulations and analytical methods were employed for validation.

Main Results:

• The MIMO SAL system successfully overcomes the range-swath and azimuth resolution trade-off inherent in SISO SAL.
• Demonstrated capability for wide-range swath imaging with high azimuth resolution.

Conclusions:

• The MIMO SAL system offers a viable solution for enhanced imaging performance in ladar applications.
• This technology expands the potential applications of SAL systems requiring both wide coverage and detailed resolution.