FS-staggered SAR: A Novel Imaging Mode Combining Frequency Scanning with PRI Variation Technique

Abstract:
Conventional staggered synthetic aperture radar (SAR) enables ultrawide continuous swath imaging by using the pulse repetition interval (PRI) variation technique in azimuth and the digital beamforming (DBF) technique in elevation. However, multiple channels significantly increase the system complexity. To tackle this problem, a novel frequency scanning staggered (FS-staggered) SAR imaging mode is proposed in this paper, which combines an advanced frequency scanning technique with PRI variation technique. Some simulations are conducted to verify the advancement of FS-staggered SAR, and the results demonstrate that FS-staggered SAR can obtain superior system performance at a low cost compared with conventional staggered SAR.