Geometrical considerations for terrain mapping in SBR applications

Knowledge aided signal processing calls for the use of existing information such as digitized image maps to further suppress clutter in a typical radar detection operation. In the context of space based radar (SBR) applications, given the SBR parameters and the look angles the first problem is to translate these parameters into a data point on a map. This is realized by converting these parameters into conventional latitude and longitude and then using the corresponding image intensity to estimate the clutter covariance matrix. Using this approach, it is possible to pre-compute the desired weight vector for a location of interest on earth that the SBR is assigned to visit. As a result, using the measured data together with the weight vector, it is possible to test for target detection hypothesis accurately at the time of visit by the SBR.