Abstract

A methodology for the estimation of ladar cross sections from high-resolution image data of geometrically complex targets is presented. Coherent CO₂ laser radar was used to generate high-resolution amplitude imagery of a UC-8 Buffalo test aircraft at a range of 1.3 km at nine different aspect angles. The average target ladar cross section was synthesized from these data and calculated to be σ_T = 15.4 dBsm, which is similar to the expected microwave radar cross sections. The aspect angle dependence of the cross section shows pronounced peaks at nose on and broadside, which are also in agreement with radar results. Strong variations in both the mean amplitude and the statistical distributions of amplitude with the aspect angle have also been observed. The relative mix of diffuse and specular returns causes significant deviations from a simple Lambertian or Swerling II target, especially at broadside where large normal surfaces are present.

© 1992 Optical Society of America

Terrain segmentation using laser radar range data

Dietmar Letalick, Mille Millnert, and Ingmar Renhorn
Appl. Opt. 31(15) 2883-2890 (1992)

Convex-polygon estimation from support-line measurements and applications to target reconstruction from laser-radar data

A. S. Lele, S. R. Kulkarni, and A. S. Willsky
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 9(10) 1693-1714 (1992)

Effects of target shape and reflection on laser radar cross sections

Ove Steinvall
Appl. Opt. 39(24) 4381-4391 (2000)

Terahertz radar cross section measurements

Krzysztof Iwaszczuk, Henning Heiselberg, and Peter Uhd Jepsen
Opt. Express 18(25) 26399-26408 (2010)

Calculation method for laser radar cross sections of rotationally symmetric targets

Yunhua Cao, Yongzhi Du, Lu Bai, Zhensen Wu, Haiying Li, and Yanhui Li
Appl. Opt. 56(19) 5520-5525 (2017)