Advanced classification of UXO using fully polarimetric GPR and frequency-polarization features

Abstract

The classification of buried UXO has been a difficult task due to the large amount of false alarms resulted from troublesome clutter objects. This paper closely examined scattering characteristics of such clutter objects by using numerical simulations. From the numerical study, we found that some clutter objects, which mainly causes the false alarms, produce multiple resonances at different frequencies and different polarizations. Based on these observations, we developed new classification algorithms which utilize the frequency-polarization dependent responses of complex targets in order to discriminate UXO-like objects form such trouble some clutters. The developed algorithms were tested by experiments in a test plot. In the test, the new classification algorithms clearly discriminated such clutters from UXO-like targets. In this paper, we present the simulation results for scattering characteristics of complex clutters and the new classification algorithm based on frequency-polarization dependent responses will be discussed. Finally, results from experimental verification will be presented.