Generation of point scatterer models for simulating ISAR images of ships

This paper addresses the problem of simulating inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images of ship targets. The motivation for generating simulated images is primarily related to the training of radar operators whose task it is to interpret images for target classification. Simulated images therefore offer the most flexible way to achieve this, conditional upon the quality of the resulting output. The approach taken is to generate a point scatterer model for the target of interest from the results of an electromagnetic prediction code called GSC (general scattering code), developed in-house. The point scatterer model is then used in an interactive simulation program called ISARLAB, where the radar returns from a user defined scenario are generated and processed to form ISAR images. Example results from simulating a generic ship target are presented to demonstrate the validity of the technique for the intended purpose.