ScanSAR resolution enhancement in bistatic operation

The ScanSAR mode allows imaging of a swath much wider than range ambiguity limits would normally allow but at the cost of degraded cross-range resolution. This degraded cross-range resolution in monostatic configuration can be enhanced in the case of a bistatic configuration with a receiver close to the imaged area by exploiting the sidelobe emissions of the beams illuminating the adjacent sub-swaths. In this paper, we will assess the feasibility of enhancing the cross-range resolution in ScanSAR modes of spaceborne transmitters and evaluate the impact on the revisit time. A preliminary analysis of the performance of the method on the novel ScanSAR mode, TOPSAR, is provided.