Wavelet based deconvolution algorithm for time-domain near-field ISAR imaging

Based on correlation receiver in communication theory, the measured backscattering waveform of a calibration conducting sphere is adopted as the system impulse response. This antenna-target system response is then approximated by the derivatives of a Gaussian function (DGF) as well as the Coiflets to restore the impulse response of the target and to reconstruct the ISAR images. Both the DGF and Coiflets are applied to the deconvolution and their results are compared. The Gaussian and Coiflet function parameters are derived by a best-fit to the measured time-domain system response. Employing the parametric fits, a lowpass filter has been automatically embedded which performs regularization of the conjugate gradient (CG) optimization and speeds up the CG convergence. Numerical results show that the image quality from the Coiflet system is similar to or better than from the DGF system. Owing to the continuity, smoothness, orthogonality and compact support of the Coiflets, the size of the system matrix has been reduced from 1024 × 1024 for DGF to 261 × 261, and the deconvolution process is accelerated more than 22 fold without sacrificing image characters.