3D surface imaging through visual obscurants using a sub-THz radar

Jason Fritz; Albin J. Gasiewski; Kun Zhang

doi:10.1117/12.2050073

19 June 2014 3D surface imaging through visual obscurants using a sub-THz radar

Jason Fritz, Albin J. Gasiewski, Kun Zhang

Proceedings Volume 9087, Degraded Visual Environments: Enhanced, Synthetic, and External Vision Solutions 2014; 908702 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2050073
Event: SPIE Defense + Security, 2014, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

Due to the lack of high-power sources along with strong electromagnetic absorption by water vapor at frequencies between ~100 GHz and ~10 THz, there are very few radar systems, or any other systems for that matter, operating in this region of the spectrum. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as the terahertz gap. Source technology, however, is improving, thus facilitating radar systems operating in this new frontier of the electromagnetic spectrum. At the lower end of this spectral region near the millimeter/submillimeter transition, components are more readily available and atmospheric attenuation is moderate in comparison to higher frequencies. Utilizing components that can generate on the order of 50 mW of power, a real aperture radar for imaging surfaces up to several hundred meters has been developed. The goal of this research is to determine if this frequency can provide adequate 3D surface imaging through Degraded Visual Environments (DVEs) yet consume less volume than existing systems at 94 GHz. Transmitting a vertically oriented fan beam to scan the Field of View (FOV) in azimuth and receiving at two vertically, displaced locations with identical fan beams forming an interferometer, three dimensional images of the surface topography (in range, azimuth and height) can be generated. This paper describes the design of the prototype system and presents initial results.

Citation Download Citation

Jason Fritz, Albin J. Gasiewski, and Kun Zhang "3D surface imaging through visual obscurants using a sub-THz radar", Proc. SPIE 9087, Degraded Visual Environments: Enhanced, Synthetic, and External Vision Solutions 2014, 908702 (19 June 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2050073

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