An efficient slope-deterministic facet model for SAR imagery simulation of marine scene

Abstract

An efficient slope-deterministic facet model for the computation of the radar scattering cross section from electrically large sea surface is presented. As a facet-based theory, it is a more comprehensive model which can adequately reflect the specular and diffuse configurations, as well as the mono-and bistatic features. Significant computational efficiency and good agreement with experimental data are observed, which make the proposed facet model well suitable for fast simulation on ocean synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. Base on the facet model, a hybrid scheme is developed to analyze the high frequency composite scattering from the model of a ship at sea, in which the method of equivalent currents (MEC) and a hybrid frame which combines the four path model with the quasi-image method are employed to investigate the scattering characteristics of large ship-like target and its interactions with sea surface respectively. Finally, applications to SAR imagery simulation of marine scene are discussed with the help of the proposed sea and ship-sea scattering mechanism in detail. © 2010 IEEE.