Improvement of GPR SAR-Based Techniques for Accurate Detection and Imaging of Buried Objects

This paper introduces three methodologies to improve synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-based techniques used in ground-penetrating radar (GPR) systems. They consist of: 1) equalization of the frequency response of the transmitting (Tx) and receiving (Rx) antennas; 2) processing of SAR images using partially overlapped frequency subbands; and 3) imaging domain clustering. The goal is to combine ground penetration capabilities of lower frequency bands with the resolution achieved when increasing the overall frequency band, resulting in enhanced detection and imaging capabilities. Validation of these techniques has been done at three levels: first using simulations, next by means of measurements in a controlled scenario, and, finally, using a portable setup deployed in a realistic scenario.