GPR modeling for landmine detection

Abstract

Ground penetrating radar (GPR), which can detect shallow buried low dielectric contrast objects in a variety of soils by non-invasive subsurface sensing, is a promising technology for imaging low-metal or non-metallic landmines. In this paper we present a complete model of a complex GPR scenario which is solved via finite element method, and includes the actual impulse GPR system, interface, soil and targets. We obtain time domain signatures for different testmines and small objects under different soil conditions which are satisfactorily correlated with measurements. The simulated responses give us a broad understanding about the factors which control the electromagnetic scattering by small objects and are used to interpret the characteristics of the signatures according to the target and background parameters. These obtained waveforms may be applied to reduce the false alarm.