ANECHOIC CHAMBER MEASUREMENTS FOR CIRCULAR ISAR IMAGING AT MERSIN UNIVERSITY’S MEATRC LAB

Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging is a reliable detection and classification technique for maneuvering targets at near and far-field ranges. In this study, we examine the near-field circular (turntable) ISAR imaging by conducting various real measurement experiments that were performed in the microwave anechoic chamber of the Mersin University’s MEATRC laboratory. The backscattered data were collected via a vector network analyzer that works as a Stepped Frequency Continuous Wave (SFCW) radar and for a number of simple and complex metal objects. The collected raw data were calibrated by using the backscattering data of a canonical object and then focused by applying a near-field backprojection image reconstruction algorithm. The resultant circular ISAR images demonstrate successful and well localized detection of various types of targets even though they are camouflaged by clothing. The obtained results reveal the preliminary efficacy of C band ISAR imaging in concealed object detection problem encountered at security checkpoints such as airports.