Radar Imaging and Remote Sensing

Course objectives: knowledges of radar systems, radar processing and antenna arrays. 

Knowledge and understanding: acquisition of basic principles of radar detection and signal processing as well as radar topics with particular hints on imaging techniques.

Applying knowledge and understanding: Ability to quantitatively solve radar detection problems in different scenarios. Solution of inverse and optimization problems.

Making judgements: Ability to identify and compare the most appropriate methods for studying real problems.

Communication skills: Ability to present orally. Ability to write a lab report using technical language, ability to practice and experience in laboratory.

Learning skills: Learning assessment may also be carried out on-line depending on specific circumstances required

Essential: Basic knowledge of signal theory and processing, linear systems, and propagation
Important: Knowledge of antennas and microwave components
Useful: Experience with MATLAB and Python scripting

Radar systems and processing (35 h)

Elements of Wave Propagation and Antennas. Antennas Array. Radar Equations and Radar Cross Section. Range Resolution and Doppler Frequency.  Noise modeling in radar receinver. Signals and Networks Representation. Matched Filter and Ambiguity Function. Pulse Compression. Radar Detecion. Moving Target Indicator (MTI) and Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR). FMCW and Monopulse Radar. 

Radar imaging (10 h)

Non linearity and ill-posedness. Linearized Scattering Models and Regularization. Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Gradient Based Optimization Techniques.

Lectures in Collaboration with companies, universities and research centers (4 h)

Ground Penetrating Radar / Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

Automotive Radar / Direction Finding (Angle of Arrival)

Microwave Medical Imaging / Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

Laboratory, practise and experience (30 h)

Radar data modeling and processing with Matlab

Measurement data acquisition and processing with mm-Waves Radar Prototype

Radar Cross Section Measurement

Visit at Sigonella/Fontanarossa/Etna Radar station (in collaboration with ENAV–TechnoSky/US Navy/INGV/Leonardo)

Contribution of the course to the Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 

The topics covered in the course and the acquired knowledge are directly or indirectly aimed at the development of sustainable technological solutions, as well as contributing to a high quality education, in accordance with Goals 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

[1] Radar Principles, Peyton Z. Peebles, John Wiley & Sons Inc

[2] Radar Principles, Nadav Levanov, Wiley

[3] Radar Systems Analysis and Design using MATLAB (III ed.), Bassem R. Mahafza, CRC Press

[4] Antenna Theory: analysis and design, C. A. Balanis, 4th edition, Wiley

[5] Microwave Imaging, Matteo Pastorino, John Wiley & Sons

[6] Introduction to Inverse Problems in Imaging, M. Bertero, P. Boccacci, C. De Mol, Taylor & Francis

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs. Students can also contact the CInAP (Centro per l’integrazione Attiva e Partecipata - Servizi per le Disabilità e/o i DSA) referring teacher within their department

Possibility of conducting the assessment remotely in the cases expressly provided for by the applicable regulations.

• Importance of Compression
• Derivation of the Ambiguity Function for a Chirp Signal
• Derivation of the Radar Equation
• Derivation of Range Resolution
• Derivation of the Probability of Detection and False Alarm
• Derive the Directivity of a Linear Array
• Beam Scanning Properties
• Effect of Noise in Radar Systems
• Operating Principles of an FMCW Radar
• Exercises on Doppler Frequency Calculation