Adaptive multiresolution SAR image formation

We examine two approaches for integrating automatic target detection algorithms into SAR image formation. In both cases the goal is to reconstruct variable-resolution imagery in which potential target regions of interest are imaged at fine resolution while background regions are imaged at coarser resolution or with lower fidelity. We present examples of variable-resolution imagery and discuss applications for joint image formation/automatic target detection algorithms. One important application is onboard processing and dissemination in a computationally-limited environment.