Millimeter wave interferometric radiometry for passive imaging and the detection of low-power manmade signals

Millimeter wave detection and imaging is becoming increasingly important with the proliferation of hostile, mobile millimeter wave threats from both weapons systems and communication links. Improved force protection, surveillance, and targeting will rely increasingly on the interception, detection, geo-sorting, and the identification of sources, such as point-to point communication systems, missile seekers, precision guided munitions, and fire control radar systems. This paper describes the Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) demonstration broadband passive millimeter wave (mmW) interferometric imaging system. In addition to limited active signal detection, the Ka-band system will provide the potential for detecting the passive signature of non-transmitting hostile systems along with a capability for meter-precision geolocation for imaged objects. The interferometer uses a distributed array of 12 antenna elements to synthesize a large aperture. Each antenna is packaged into an individual receiver, from which a baseband signal is recorded. The correlator is software-based, utilizing signal processing techniques for visibilities, and image formation via beamforming methods.