Experimental Ka-band SAR for obtaining super-high resolution images

The authors have developed an airborne experimental SAR form and study super-high resolution radar images of the Earth´s-surface. The use of the millimetric band makes it possible to reduce the constraints of trajectory instabilities and obtain a high azimuth resolution without employing complex trajectory instability compensation systems. The real antenna used in the experimental system had a horizontal aperture 25 cm long. An example of the radar image of a forest area easily discriminates between coniferous, mixed, birch, young row plantings, bushes, single trees, clearings and cuttings. The radar images show also transport roads, lorries and cars which are discriminated by the length of their respective blips. The radar image of a settlement shows the shapes of small buildings which are seen distinctly. The experiments prove that terrain radar images with resolution of about 0.5 m are highly informative