SBIR Phase I: Enhanced Airborne Beam-Steering for Ground Probing Radar

这项小型企业创新研究项目将把地面探测雷达（GPR）技术的最新进展应用于地下设施（UGF）的空中侦察。地面探测雷达是一种成熟的探测地下目标和结构的技术。然而，由于杂波和信号强度问题，它在机载平台地下监测中的应用受到了限制。该项目试图通过使用波束操纵天线阵列来克服这些问题，该天线阵列可以提供更高的信号功率和更高的角度分辨率。该系统最终将悬挂在机载平台上，以促进对感兴趣区域（ROI）的快速覆盖。窄发射阵列波束扫描感兴趣区域，在正确的入射角处接收到来自UGF的强反射。第一阶段项目包括三个主要任务：首先，模拟拟议的系统；其次，利用仿真结果来改进现有的阵列控制算法；第三，测试硬件原型。其中很大一部分工作是在模拟和算法改进方面的软件开发。在第二阶段的工作中，第一阶段的成果将用于开发和测试商业上可销售的探地雷达系统。如果该技术能够成功开发，将使在现实环境中对近地面ugf的机载探测成为可能。该系统旨在增强现有的商用GPR系统，并将大大降低地面目标的数据采集成本，同时提高数据质量。该仪器的动态监测方面是独特的，从表征美国数千个危险废物场址的角度来看，它具有应用价值。这种选择将为侵入性监测技术提供一种低成本的替代方案。

This Small Business Innovation Research project will apply recent advances in ground probing radar (GPR) technology to the aerial reconnaissance of underground facilities (UGF). Ground probing radar is a proven technology for investigating subsurface targets and structures. Its application to subsurface monitoring from airborne platforms, however, has been limited due to clutter and signal strength problems. The project seeks to overcome these problems by the use of a beamsteered antenna array that provides increased signal power and increased angular resolution. The system will ultimately be suspended from an airborne platform to facilitate rapid coverage of a region of interest (ROI). The narrow transmit array beam scans the ROI, and at the correct angle of incidence a strong reflection from the UGF is received. The phase I project comprises three main tasks: first, simulating the proposed system; second, using the results of simulations to refine existing array control algorithms, and; third, testing the hardware prototype. A large part of the effort lies in software development in simulations and algorithm refinement. The results of Phase I will be used to develop and test a commercially marketable GPR system during the phase II effort. If the technology can be successfully developed, it will make airborne detection of near-surface UGFs in realistic environments feasible. The system is designed to enhance existing commercial GPR systems and will greatly reduce the cost of data acquisition of areal targets while enhancing data quality. The dynamic monitoring aspect of the instrumentation is unique and has application from the standpoint of characterizing extensive hazardous waste sites numbering in the thousands across the United States. This option will provide a low-cost alternative to invasive monitoring techniques.