Optimal sensor placement for multi-bistatic ISAR imaging

Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) images are typically used for target recognition and identification purposes. The target projection on the ISAR image plane depends on the target´s own motions and on the relative position of target and radar. Since targets of interest are often non-cooperative, the first condition is not under the radar´s control. Nevertheless, the relative radar-target position can be somehow controlled or predicted in some cases. Moreover, the use of multiple receivers enhances the likelihood that a desired radar-target position occurs during radar measurements. In this paper, the theoretical aspects of optimal sensor positioning for obtaining desired ISAR image projections are detailed. A mathematical tool will be presented that is able to predict the optimal sensor positions for maximising the probability of obtaining a desired ISAR image. Real data will be used that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed tool.