There is described a method for processing data generated by a synthetic aperture imaging system, comprising: receiving raw data representative of electromagnetic signals reflected by a target area to be imaged; receiving a parameter change for the synthetic aperture imaging system; digitally correcting the raw data in accordance with the parameter change, thereby compensating for the parameter change in order to obtain corrected data; and generating an image of the target area using the corrected data.

A Radar Calibration Processor (RCP) for calibrating the phase of a stepped-chirp signal utilized by a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is disclosed. The RCP includes a periodic phase error (PPE) calibrator, first non-periodic phase error (NPPE) calibrator in signal communication with the PPE calibrator, and a second NPPE calibrator in signal communication with the first NPPE calibrator.

Millimeter (mm) waves, in comparison to microwaves, have short wavelengths and can penetrate to few centimeters inside the body. The embodiments herein provide a method and system for millimeter (mm) wave synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging for superficial implant monitoring. The mmWave SAR and consecutive an autofocusing SAR imaging are suitable for a superficial tissue and subsequent continuous implant monitoring due to their smaller form-factor and faster processing coupled with focused dielectric lens. Additionally, a limb topography is approximated for localization of implant region on interest (ROI) in the SAR amplitude image. Further, the method and system provide a bone implant monitoring in order to assess any unwanted mobility or dislocation of the implant, and thus bone health is a critical issue.

A SAR imaging method performs N SAR acquisitions in stripmap mode of the earth's surface using a synthetic aperture radar transported by an aerial or satellite platform and including a single, non-partitioned antenna and a single receiver coupled thereto. All N SAR acquisitions are performed using the same predetermined elevation angle relative to the nadir of the synthetic aperture radar and using a respective squint angle relative to the flight direction of the synthetic aperture radar. Radar transmission and reception operations are time interleaved with other N-1 SAR acquisitions, resulting in the respective acquisition directions being parallel to each other and not parallel to acquisition directions of other N-1 SAR acquisitions. Radar beams in two immediately successive time instants and related to two different SAR acquisitions are contiguous along the azimuth. SAR images may be generated using all the N SAR acquisitions having an enhanced azimuth resolution.

A SAR imaging method is provided that performs N SAR acquisitions in stripmap mode of areas of the earth's surface by means of a synthetic aperture radar transported by an aerial or satellite platform and which includes a single, non-partitioned antenna and a single receiver coupled to the single, non-partitioned antenna, N being an integer greater than one. Each SAR acquisition in stripmap mode is performed using a respective squint angle with respect to the flight direction of the synthetic aperture radar and a respective elevation angle with respect to the nadir of the synthetic aperture radar. The method may further generate SAR images of areas of the respective swath observed via the SAR acquisition in stripmap mode. All SAR images have the same azimuth resolution that is equal to half the physical or equivalent length along the azimuth direction of the single, non-partitioned antenna of the synthetic aperture radar.

The present invention concerns a method for performing SAR acquisitions, which comprises performing, in a time division fashion, SAR acquisitions of areas of a swath of earth's surface by means of a SAR system carried by an air or space platform; wherein performing SAR acquisitions in a time division fashion includes contemporaneously acquiring, in each pulse repetition interval, a plurality of areas of the swath that are separated in azimuth; and wherein the areas acquired in T successive pulse repetition intervals form an azimuth-continuous portion of said swath, T being an integer greater than one.

A method of operating a Synthetic Aperture Radar SAR to acquire image data of a swath comprising one or more subswath(s) is provided, wherein the SAR is carried on a platform moving along a flight direction and a radiated beam is directed towards the swath, the method comprising: electronically steering the beam in azimuth direction along one subswath for each burst; and mechanically steering the beam in a direction opposite to the flight direction during each burst. The method allows to obtain an improved swath to resolution ratio.

Described is a method for extraction of a region of interest (ROI) from a composite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) phase history data. The method comprising receiving, with a system comprising a processor, the composite SAR phase history data of a plurality of backscattered return signals produced by a SAR system illuminating a scene with a SAR beam. The method also comprises obtaining a location of a first ROI within the scene and extracting from the composite SAR phase history data a first component SAR phase history data corresponding to the ROI at the location of the ROI.

A Radar Calibration Processor (RCP) for calibrating the phase of a stepped-chirp signal utilized by a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is disclosed. The RCP includes a periodic phase error (PPE) calibrator, first non-periodic phase error (NPPE) calibrator in signal communication with the PPE calibrator, and a second NPPE calibrator in signal communication with the first NPPE calibrator.

A method of calculating power level reflectance .sub.0 of an object on the ground using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image includes receiving the SAR image composed of pixels each having a complex value (I.sub.DN+jQ.sub.DN), local incidence angle data including local incidence angle values respectively corresponding to the pixels of the SAR image and a reflection coefficient K.sub.2 of the SAR image, calculating power level reflectance .sub.0 on a slant range domain of a first object corresponding to a first pixel based on the complex value (I.sub.DN+jQ.sub.DN) of the first pixel in the SAR image and the reflection coefficient K.sub.2, and calculating, using an equation that .sub.0=.sub.0.Math.(sin .sub.i).sup.2, power level reflectance .sub.0 of the first object on the ground based on the power level reflectance .sub.0 of the first object on the slant range domain and the local incidence angle value .sub.i corresponding to the first pixel.