High resolution SAR processing using stepped-frequencies

This paper demonstrates a method to produce high resolution SAR images using stepped-frequencies. An advantage of the stepped-frequency approach is the reduction of the instantaneous bandwidth and sampling rate requirements of the radar system, as well as the possibility of skipping frequencies that might be corrupted due to external interfering frequency sources. The technique described involves the construction of a wide-bandwidth chirp pulse produced from a burst of narrow-bandwidth chirp pulses transmitted at stepped-frequency intervals. A description of this technique is given and simulation results are shown.