Distributed aperture OFDM radar

This paper presents a new method of obtaining frequency diversity using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). Exploiting spatial diversity, the key advantage of a distributed aperture radar, requires orthogonality in, for example, the frequency, time, waveform, dimensions across sensors. This paper focuses on the simplest of these cases; frequency orthogonality. Here we address the key drawback associated with frequency diversity: whereas the use of multiple frequency bands requires additional RF hardware, an OFDM-based system needs only a single oscillator and demodulator while yet maintaining frequency orthogonality. OFDM employs many sub-carriers within a single frequency band instead of occupying different frequency bands. Separation of the signals can be performed oversampling of the incoming signal followed by a Fast Fourier transform (FFT).