A novel moving target imaging algorithm for HRWS SAR based on local maximum-likelihood minimum entropy

For high-resolution wide-swath (HRWS) SAR based on multiple receive apertures in azimuth, this paper proposes a novel imaging approach for moving targets. This approach utilizes the wide bandwidth characteristics of the transmitted signal (multiple wavelengths) to estimate the moving target velocity. First, this paper explains that there is a phase mismatch (PM) between azimuth channels for the echo of a moving target, which depends on range frequency. In order to correct the PM, an algorithm based on local maximum-likelihood minimum entropy is proposed. The linear dependence of the PM on range frequency is employed to estimate the target velocity. Second, after the signal reconstruction in Doppler frequency and the compensation of the PM for a moving target, the estimated target velocity is utilized to implement the linear range cell migration correction and the Doppler centroid shifting. Then, the quadratic range cell migration is corrected by the keystone processing. After that, the focused moving target image can be obtained using the existing azimuth focusing approaches. Theoretical analysis shows that no interpolation is needed. The effectiveness of the imaging algorithm for moving targets is demonstrated via simulated and real measured ship HRWS ScanSAR data.