Bistatic Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging of Automotive Targets at Millimeter Frequencies

Abstract

High-resolution inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images of road vehicles at millimeter wave frequencies provide useful information regarding the size, shape, number of wheels, and nature of the target trajectory. They are thus effective features for target classification. However, in some geometrically adverse scenarios, it may not be possible to generate ISAR images in monostatic radar conditions. Here, bistatic ISAR images generated from well separated transmitting and receiving antennas may overcome the limitations of the monostatic geometry or supplement the information obtained from monostatic radar. In this paper, we present the bistatic ISAR radar images of a car from multiple orientations and aspects. The radar data are gathered from simulations using computer-animated design models of the car along a turning trajectory. Electromagnetic modeling of the radar scattering combines a point scatterer model of the extended automotive target along with shadowing based on ray tracing. © 2023 IEEE.