Spaceborne Multiple-Swath SAR Imaging with Frequency Scanning

This paper presents innovative multiple-swath SAR imaging modes making use of the frequency scanning technique (F-Scan). A novel technique is proposed for high-resolution wide-swath imaging based on analogue beamforming, a less complex and inexpensive option compared to conventional digital beamforming systems. The separation of the swaths in both the time and frequency domains is considered. The performance is assessed for different scenarios, confirming the high performance and high flexibility that can be achieved with the proposed imaging modes. For instance, the possibility to image a contiguous 380 km swath with a resolution below 25m(exp 2) is shown.