Application of Hybrid ATI/DPCA Method for Moving Human Target Detection in Forest Environments

Moving human target sensing for airborne foliage-penetration (FOPEN) radar applications is considered. Target detection, parameter estimation, and image re-focusing-along with clutter suppression- are obtained with a hybrid along-track interferometry (ATI)/displaced phase center antenna (DPCA) technique that exploits the responses from a multi-channel sensing configuration. The processing algorithm is evaluated using the scattering returns from large-scale, full-wave electromagnetic simulations of a scene consisting of a walking human embedded in a forest stand. Within the prescribed simulation framework, analysis is also performed to examine the effects of the trees and the human gait movement on target localization and image quality.