Property analysis of bistatic forward-looking SAR with arbitrary geometry

Bistatic forward-looking synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has many advantages and applications owing to its two-dimensional imaging capability. There could be various imaging configurations because of the geometric flexibility of bistatic platforms, resulting in kinds of models built independently among which there could be some similar even the same motion features. Comprehensive research on such systems in a more comprehensive and general point of view is required to address their difference and consistency. Property analysis of bistatic forward looking SAR with arbitrary geometry is achieved including stripmap and spotlight modes on airborne platform, missile-borne platform, and hybrid platform of both. Emphasis is placed on azimuth space variance of some key parameters significantly affecting the subsequent imaging processing, based on which the frequency spectra are further described and compared considering respective features of different platforms for frequency imaging algorithm developing. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness and correctness of our analysis.