Detection and imaging of moving objects with synthetic aperture radar. 1. Optimal detection and parameter estimation theory

The author provides optimal schemes, according to the maximum likelihood criterion, for the detection of moving objects observed by airborne radars, and for the synthesis of a long aperture with respect to the moving objects, necessary to produce high-resolution images. The theoretical limits of detectability and of the accuracies achievable in the estimation of the motion parameters necessary for the synthesis of the long aperture are provided. Some simple suboptimal schemes, with limited performance losses, are then proposed