Design and Validation of a Multimode Multifrequency VHF/UHF Airborne Radar
Papa, C. ; Alberti, G. ; Salzillo, G. ; ...Longo, F. ; ...Formaro, R. ; et al.
Jul - 2014
DOI: 10.1109/LGRS.2013.2291237
ISSN : 1545-598X ;
journal : IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters
Issue : 7
type: Article Journal
Abstract
This letter deals with the design, realization, and validation of a multimode/multifrequency airborne radar designed for both surface and subsurface prospections. The system operates in the frequency band from very high frequency (VHF) to ultrahigh frequency (UHF) and works in two different modes: 1) a nadir-looking sounder in the VHF band (carrier frequency of 163 MHz); and 2) a side-looking imager (i.e., synthetic aperture radar) in the UHF band with two channels at 450 and 860 MHz, respectively. The system validation has been carried out for the “sounder” mode due to helicopter-borne surveys carried out over an area in the Campania region, Southern Italy. The surveys have provided a first proof of system capability in obtaining useful information about the surface and shallower subsurface layers over a large scale and in a relatively short time. In particular, the data collected by the sounder have been processed by means of a microwave tomographic reconstruction approach, and features consistent with tunnels buried at a depth of 15 m have been identified.
keywords : Airborne radar,Bandwidth,Campania region,Image reconstruction,Microwave tomographic approach,Radar imaging,Southern Italy,Synthetic aperture radar,Tomography,UHF band,VHF band,frequency 450 MHz,frequency 860 MHz,helicopter-borne surveys,microwave tomographic reconstruction approach,multimode multifrequency UHF airborne radar,multimode multifrequency VHF airborne radar,remote sensing by radar,sounder mode,subsurface prospections,surface imaging,ultrahigh frequency,very high frequency,very high frequency/ultrahigh frequency (VHF/UHF)