VHF/UHF Endo-Clutter SAR Fiducial Marker

"In this Phase I project, Mission Research Corporation (MRC) will investigate conceptual designs of both passive and active devices that could be deployed in foliated areas to facilitate registration of VHF and UHF SAR images. These devices, known asground-based fiducial markers, are to be capable of supporting simultaneous VHF and UHF imaging with robust angular and polarization diversity. Passive markers must have radar returns high enough to be reliably detected and located. Active markers maymake use of spread spectrum coding, providing high location accuracy when decoded. Without decoding, signals from these active markers remain hidden within the image spectrum, affecting image quality at indescernible levels. Algorithms for performingimage registration with the markers shall be developed and registration errors shall be quantified. Advantages and disadvantages of all marker designs shall be determined in regard to such applications as multi-band fusion, change detection,interferometry, and tomography in both open and forested terrain. Concepts for deploying the markers will also be initiated. In a Phase II effort, candidate devices would be fabricated and then tested in an outdoor measurement setting using the FOPEN SARATD system. High accuracy, automated image registration for FOPEN sensors.Improved VHF/UHF multi-band fusion, change detection, interferometry, and tomography.Image registration error quantification.Calib