A posteriori insertion of information for focusing and time-depth conversion of ground-penetrating radar data

This paper deals with ground-penetrating radar prospecting and exploits a semi-heuristic strategy to account for inhomogeneous background media, empty cavities or topography of the surface. We assume here that no more than a commercial processing software is available. Customarily, commercial codes assume a homogeneous soil and a flat interface in order to achieve the focusing of the data. Therefore, this is also the model exploited here, whereas the data are referred to an inhomogeneous soil or to a non-flat interface. The proposed strategy exploits the principle that 'the data speak', even if with some ambiguity and some reticence, and they can reveal or at least suggest important features of the underground scenario. On this basis, heuristically, we exploit features derived from the data themselves as a posteriori information, improving the available focusing and time-depth conversion even having at disposal a basic model of the background scenario.