Modified SPECAN algorithm for ScanSAR data processing

The authors present a new phase-preserving algorithm for ScanSAR data processing that extends the SPECAN procedure. The proposed technique allows one to avoid the range dependent scaling of the azimuth pixel dimension, obtained by applying the standard SPECAN approach; this result is achieved by replacing the standard Fourier transform included in the SPECAN algorithm with a chirp z-transform, whose kernel includes a range-dependent correction factor. ScanSAR images generated via the proposed procedure have a constant azimuth pixel spacing whose dimension can be selected according to the application requirements.