Narrow-Band Interference Suppression for SAR Based on Complex Empirical Mode Decomposition

Narrow-band interference (NBI) is a common interference source in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging. Its existence will degrade the imaging quality greatly. Based on detailed analysis on the characteristics of NBI, this letter proposes a new NBI suppression algorithm using the complex empirical mode decomposition (CEMD) method. In this algorithm, echoes that include NBI are recognized in the time domain first. Then, these echoes are decomposed into a number of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) via the CEMD. After that, IMFs that correspond to NBI are subtracted from the echoes by thresholding. Finally, well-focused SAR imagery can be obtained from the separated target echoes using traditional SAR imaging algorithms. The effective data loss in this algorithm is smaller than other NBI suppression approaches. In addition, this algorithm is robust to time-varying NBI. Imaging results of measured data have proved the validity of this algorithm.      

罗兰C信号中的窄带干扰抑制与仿真

窄带干扰（NBI）是罗兰C接收机接收信号中普遍存在的一种干扰。这种窄带干扰经常淹没有用的罗兰C信号,因此,去掉NBI对罗兰C接收机的正常工作尤为重要。分别采用最小均方误差（LMS）自适应算法和二阶自适应格型滤波器算法对带有窄带干扰的罗兰C信号进行处理。仿真结果得出：LMS自适应滤波器对同步干扰和近同步干扰都有很好的效果;但是由于罗兰C信号本身的编码信息而比较难获取期望信号,加上LMS自适应滤波器实现阶数较高,实现相对困难。二阶格型自适应滤波器由于是完全除去干扰频率点,不能用于同步干扰,但其对近同步干扰和非同步干扰仍然有很好的效果,且其实现较为简单,易于在工程上应用。     

A new implementation of narrowband interference detection,characterization, and mitigation technique for a software-defined multi-GNSS receiver

Due to the very low power of satellite signals when reaching the earth’s surface, global navigation satellite system receivers are vulnerable to various types of radio frequency interference, and, therefore, countermeasures are necessary. In the case of a narrowband interference (NBI), the adaptive notch filtering technique has been extensively investigated. However, the research on the topic has focused on the adaptation of the notch frequency, but not of the notch width. We present a fully adaptive solution to counter NBI. The technique is capable of detecting and characterizing any number of narrow interfered bands, and then optimizing the mitigation process based on such characterization, namely the estimates of both interference frequency and width. Its full adaptiveness makes it suitable to cope with the unpredictable and diverse nature of unintentional interfering events. In addition to a thorough performance evaluation of the proposed method, which shows its benefits in terms of signal quality improvement, an analysis of the impact of different NBI profiles on GPS L1 C/A and Galileo E1 is also conducted.     

利用多尺度Hough变换提取高分辨率SAR图像建筑物L型结构

提出了一种利用多尺度Hough变换从高分辨率SAR图像提取建筑物L型结构的方法。针对高分辨率SAR图像建筑物L型结构的特点,建立了建筑物L型结构简化几何模型,并采用从粗到精的思路利用多尺度Hough变换提取建筑物L型结构方向线。并提出了一种L型结构组合度函数对提取直线进行编组,确定建筑物L型结构的方向和拐点。最后,采用基于扫描线的方法计算L型结构线宽,得到完整规则的建筑物L型结构。多幅真实机载高分辨率SAR图像实验结果表明,本方法可以有效地提取高分辨率SAR图像建筑物L型结构,提取结果与实际位置吻合较好。     

DEM数据辅助的星载SAR俯仰向数字波束形成

俯仰向数字波束形成(DBF)处理是星载合成孔径雷达(SAR)实现高分辨率宽测绘带成像的关键。然而,在处理较大地形起伏区域的回波信号时,传统俯仰向波束扫描(SCORE)方法会出现波束指向偏差问题,导致接收回波的增益降低,影响SAR系统成像性能。针对这一问题,本文详细分析了高分宽幅星载SAR系统的俯仰向DBF接收波束扫描指向问题,提出了一种基于数字高程图(DEM)的俯仰向DBF处理方法。该方法基于星载SAR成像几何模型,首先利用成像场景的DEM数据和卫星轨道参数计算距离门单元对应的地面高程值,并进一步计算距离门单元对应的目标波达角,然后根据该对应关系计算每个距离门单元的俯仰向DBF加权矢量,从而确保在俯仰向DBF处理过程中接收波束指向正确。通过X波段的星载SAR系统进行仿真实验,结果表明(1)当地面高程值大于1.9 km时,传统SCORE方法处理得到的目标信号幅度下降都超过2.8 dB,本文方法处理得到的目标信号幅度下降都小于0.4 dB,本文方法优于传统SCORE方法;(2)由DEM数据误差导致的地面目标高程偏差对本文方法影响较小。因此本文方法能够有效改善地形起伏较大区域的回波信号接收增益。     

纹理特征向量与最大化熵法相结合的SAR影像非监督变化检测

合成孔径雷达(SAR)影像具有明显的斑点噪声,在变化检测中,一般需要考虑空间邻域信息。本文结合SAR影像丰富的纹理信息,提出一种考虑空间邻域信息的高分辨率SAR影像非监督变化检测方法,用基于灰度共生矩阵(GLCM)的32维纹理特征向量构造差异影像。通过最大化熵法自动选取阈值,对精度指标随窗口大小的变化进行回归分析,得到适合于变化检测的窗口为11×11。试验表明,本文方法优于马尔科夫随机场法,可以减小斑点噪声的影响,有效提高高分辨率SAR影像变化检测的精度。     

运动干扰站的SAR-GMTI余弦调相转发干扰

针对多通道合成孔径雷达地面动目标显示SAR—GMTI提出一种基于运动干扰站的余弦调相转发干扰方法。该方法利用运动干扰站转发式干扰的成像特性实现方位向扩展,利用余弦调相信号特性实现距离向扩展,将二者有机结合,可同时实现干扰目标在方位向和距离向的2维扩展。以三通道干涉对消技术为例分析了其对GMTI的对抗性能,理论分析和仿真实验表明:该方法对SAR和SAR-GMTI均可产生灵活可控的2维条带状或面状遮盖干扰效果,但由于多通道GMTI对干扰的抑制和对消,干扰目标幅度受正弦调制系数影响将出现增强或削弱。     

高分三号SAR影像广域范围联合几何检校技术

在获取广域范围雷达遥感正射影像图时,需要对区域内每景SAR影像进行几何参数修正,提高SAR影像的定位精度。但在广域范围进行控制点的选取和影像的逐一修正,其工作量巨大,严重影响了SAR影像分析应用的效率。对此,本文提出了一种广域范围联合几何检校方法。该方法在R-D模型的基础上,首先利用少许SAR影像计算其独立的系统级检校参数,其次去除系统级检校参数中大气延迟分量的影响,然后依据最小二乘平差原理获取最优的系统级检校参数,最后利用最优的系统级检校参数对所有SAR影像进行几何检校处理。论文采用覆盖中国中东部地区的32景GF-3SAR影像进行联合几何检校试验,检校后的SAR影像定位中误差优于9 m。试验结果表明:该方法能够提高GF-3 SAR影像几何检校的精度,验证了其有效性和可行性。     

应用于SAR图像配准的自适应SIFT特征均匀分布算法

SAR图像配准要求提取出稳定且分布均匀的同名点,但是传统的SIFT算法没有考虑特征点的空间分布情况,提取的特征呈块状分布。针对SAR图像数据的特点,提出了一种自适应控制SIFT特征均匀分布算法,利用局部纹理特征,并结合最优化筛选策略,在保证特征点稳定性和准确性的同时,自适应控制特征在不同空间的分布情况,实现SIFT特征点在图像空间和尺度空间的合理分布。最后从提取效率、匹配正确率和分布质量等方面进行对比试验,验证了算法应用于SAR图像配准的能力。     

Rational function modeling for spaceborne SAR datasets

As a kind of generic sensor model, the rational function model (RFM) has been widely used in geometric processing of optical images, but has not yet been applied to SAR datasets. In this article the feasibility and methodology of rational function (RF) modeling for SAR datasets are investigated. After a review of the mathematic formulation of the RF model and the Range-Doppler model for SAR systems, the feasibility of applying RFM to SAR datasets is analyzed. Afterwards a two-stage approach is proposed as the key technique for SAR RF modeling to solve unknown parameters of RFM in a fast and unbiased way. The effectiveness and advantages of this approach are demonstrated by comparisons with traditional methods. Experimental results obtained for various spaceborne SAR datasets of different processing levels show that RFM is a suitable replacement of the rigorous Range-Doppler model for spaceborne SAR images. Furthermore, the impacts of several factors including the control point grid size, the number of elevation layers, and the orbit precision on SAR RFM solutions are evaluated quantitatively. The results show that the number of elevation layers is a key factor in SAR RF modeling, and its value should be set carefully according to terrain conditions of study areas. Finally, potential applications of SAR RFM are discussed in brief.     

Level Set Method for SAR Image Coregistration

In this letter, a novel approach for the coregistration of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is proposed based on the level set method. The features of regions are detected by segmenting the images, and the images are coregistered by matching the detected features. The energy functional of level sets is formulated with respect to detecting and matching features. The coregistration is achieved by minimizing the energy functional. Compared with the conventional tie-patch method, the results on a series of simulated experiments and real SAR data demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.      

SAR change detection based on intensity and texture changes

In this paper, a novel change detection approach is proposed for multitemporal synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The approach is based on two difference images, which are constructed through intensity and texture information, respectively. In the extraction of the texture differences, robust principal component analysis technique is used to separate irrelevant and noisy elements from Gabor responses. Then graph cuts are improved by a novel energy function based on multivariate generalized Gaussian model for more accurately fitting. The effectiveness of the proposed method is proved by the experiment results obtained on several real SAR images data sets.     

噪声抑制的多极化SAR海冰图像分割

合成孔径雷达(SAR)海冰图像分割对全球气候研究和保证船舶航行安全具有重要意义。现有的基于区域的马尔可夫随机场(MRF)多极化SAR分割方法,由于受相干斑噪声影响,其区域划分不尽合理,不能有效完成分割。因此,提出一种噪声抑制的多极化SAR海冰图像分割算法,首先在极化总功率图上引入降低噪声的滤波算法,合理划分初始区域,其次考虑区域之间的差异度,从而实现多极化SAR海冰图像的准确分割。以RADARSAT-2和SIR-C获得的全极化海冰图像为实验数据进行验证,结果表明:和其他较先进算法相比,本文算法优势明显,既能高效保持图像连通性,又能增强图像的细节信息,具有更高的分割精度。     

结合KI准则和逆高斯模型的SAR影像非监督变化检测

提出一种结合逆高斯模型（inverse Gaussian model,IGM）和KI（Kittler-Illingworth,KI）最小错误率准则的合成孔径雷达（synthetic aperture radar,SAR）影像非监督变化检测方法。假设差值影像中未变化类和变化类服从混合IGM,结合贝叶斯决策理论,自动求取满足KI最小错误率准则的阈值。在两组多时相SAR数据上分别设计了两组实验以验证本文方法的有效性。实验表明,本文方法可以更好地估计差值影像中未变化类和变化类的概率密度分布,得到合理的决策阈值,有效提高变化检测图的精度。     

Precise topography- and aperture-dependent motion compensation for airborne SAR

Efficient synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing algorithms are unable to exactly implement the aperture- and topography-dependent motion compensation due to the superposition of the synthetic apertures of several targets having different motion errors and potentially different topographic heights. Thus, during motion compensation, a reference level is assumed, resulting in residual phase errors that impact the focusing, geometric fidelity, and phase accuracy of the processed SAR images. This letter proposes a new short fast Fourier transform-based postprocessing methodology capable of efficient and precise compensation of these topography- and aperture-dependent residual phase errors. In addition to wide beamwidth (very high resolution) SAR systems, airborne repeat-pass interferometry especially benefits from this approach, as motion compensation can be significantly improved, especially in areas with high topographic changes. Repeat-pass interferometric data of the E-SAR system of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach.     

多基线机载合成孔径雷达影像匹配的SANCC法

为了有效利用合成孔径雷达(synthetic aperture radar,SAR)多基线影像的几何信息和辐射信息,提高匹配精度,提出了一种适用于多基线SAR幅度影像的自适应归一化互相关系数和(sum of adaptive normalized cross-correlation,SANCC)影像匹配方法。该方法首先利用SAR成像参数、平台参数和物方高程范围构建匹配方向线;然后引入Gestalt原理的接近性和相似性原则对窗口内的像素加权,计算获得沿匹配方向线的SANCC值;最后采用winner-take-all(WTA)优化策略获取多基线影像的匹配结果和物方三维信息。利用国产机载SAR系统获取的多基线影像进行匹配试验,结果表明与常规的相关匹配方法相比,该方法可以获得更为密集、精确的匹配点,有效减少了由重复纹理造成的误匹配,并能较好地解决由纹理匮乏导致的匹配难题。     

Topography-dependent motion compensation for repeat-pass interferometric SAR systems

This letter presents a new motion compensation algorithm to process airborne interferometric repeat-pass synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. It accommodates topography variations during SAR data processing, using an external digital elevation model. The proposed approach avoids phase artifacts, azimuth coregistration errors, and impulse response degradation, which usually appear due to the assumption of a constant reference height during motion compensation. It accurately modifies phase history of all targets before azimuth compression, resulting in an enhanced image quality. Airborne L-band repeat-pass interferometric data of the German Aerospace Center experimental airborne SAR (E-SAR) is used to validate the algorithm.     

Robust river boundaries extraction of dammed lakes in mountain areas after Wenchuan Earthquake from high resolution SAR images combining local connectivity and ACM

River boundaries extraction from SAR imagery is valuable for flood monitoring and damage assessment. Several rivers, parts of which include dammed lakes caused by landslides and rock avalanches triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, were taken as a case study for robust extraction. In this paper, a novel state-of-the-art approach for automated river boundaries extraction using high resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) intensity imagery is presented. The key of our approach lies in the combined usage of local connectivity feature of the river and a region-based active contours model (ACM) in a variational level set framework to differentiate between river and the background. First, sub-patched intensity thresholding segmentation is applied to SAR imagery. Pixels with intensities below the threshold are selected as potential river pixels while the others are potential background pixels. Second, potential river pixels are divided into several connected regions, considering that the river is a big connected region, only relatively bigger regions with similar contrast value are retained as the regions of interest (ROI) while others are noise due to pixel-level decision approach in the first step or shadows due to mountains terrain. Third, the ROI and their contours are regarded as local region and the initial contours to refine the river boundaries, which are used to reduce the scene complexity of ACM and its sensitivity to initial situation, respectively. A novel ACM driven by local image fitting (LIF) energy is presented and used for river boundaries extraction for the first time, which is not only robust against inhomogeneity widely spread in SAR imagery but also can work with efficiency without the need of re-initialization during iteration compared to traditional ACM. The proposed approach was tested on numerous high resolution airborne SAR images containing connected rivers or dammed lakes obtained by Chinese domestic radar system after Wenchuan Earthquake. For the overall dataset, the average commission error, omission error and root mean squared error were 6.5%, 3.3%, and 0.51, respectively. The average computational time for 4000 by 4000 image size was 21 min using a PC-based MATLAB platform. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach is robust and effective.     

Doppler Keystone Transform: An Approach Suitable for Parallel Implementation of SAR Moving Target Imaging

In this letter, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data reformatting approach named Doppler Keystone transform (DKT) is proposed to correct the range migration of a moving target. By using the DKT, the SAR imaging program, i.e., the 2-D matched filtering, can be transformed into separate 1-D operations along range or azimuth direction, and therefore, the DKT is suitable for the parallel implementation of SAR imaging of the moving target. Our simulations show that by combining the DKT and the Doppler phase compensation methods, the moving target can be well imaged in high signal–clutter-ratio case.