Undistorted and Consistent Enhancement of Automotive SAR Image via Multi-Segment-Reweighted Regularization

In recent years, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology has been increasingly explored for automotive applications. However, automotive SAR images generated via matched filter (MF) often exhibit challenges such as noisy backgrounds, sidelobe artifacts, and limited resolution. Sparse regularizatio...

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Main Authors: Yan Zhang, Bingchen Zhang, Yirong Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/9/1483
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author Yan Zhang
Bingchen Zhang
Yirong Wu
author_facet Yan Zhang
Bingchen Zhang
Yirong Wu
author_sort Yan Zhang
collection DOAJ
description In recent years, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology has been increasingly explored for automotive applications. However, automotive SAR images generated via matched filter (MF) often exhibit challenges such as noisy backgrounds, sidelobe artifacts, and limited resolution. Sparse regularization methods have the potential to enhance image quality. Nevertheless, conventional unweighted <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mi mathvariant="script">l</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> regularization methods struggle to address cases with radar cross section (RCS) distributed over a wide dynamic range, often resulting in insufficient sidelobe suppression, amplitude distortion, and inconsistent super-resolution performance. In this paper, we propose a novel reweighted regularization method, termed multi-segment-reweighted regularization (MSR), for automotive SAR image restoration. By introducing a novel weighting scheme, MSR localizes the global scattering point enhancement problem to the mainlobe scale, effectively mitigating sidelobe interference. This localization ensures consistent enhancement capability independent of RCS variations. Furthermore, MSR employs multi-segment regularization to constrain amplitude within the mainlobes, preserving the characteristics of the original response. Correspondingly, a new thresholding function, named Thinner Response Undistorted THresholding (TRUTH), is introduced. An iterative algorithm for enhancing automotive SAR images using MSR is also presented. Real data experiments validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
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spelling doaj-art-bee075bf9885410b9b9cbf596bfabf842025-08-20T03:52:57ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-04-01179148310.3390/rs17091483Undistorted and Consistent Enhancement of Automotive SAR Image via Multi-Segment-Reweighted RegularizationYan Zhang0Bingchen Zhang1Yirong Wu2Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaIn recent years, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology has been increasingly explored for automotive applications. However, automotive SAR images generated via matched filter (MF) often exhibit challenges such as noisy backgrounds, sidelobe artifacts, and limited resolution. Sparse regularization methods have the potential to enhance image quality. Nevertheless, conventional unweighted <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mi mathvariant="script">l</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula> regularization methods struggle to address cases with radar cross section (RCS) distributed over a wide dynamic range, often resulting in insufficient sidelobe suppression, amplitude distortion, and inconsistent super-resolution performance. In this paper, we propose a novel reweighted regularization method, termed multi-segment-reweighted regularization (MSR), for automotive SAR image restoration. By introducing a novel weighting scheme, MSR localizes the global scattering point enhancement problem to the mainlobe scale, effectively mitigating sidelobe interference. This localization ensures consistent enhancement capability independent of RCS variations. Furthermore, MSR employs multi-segment regularization to constrain amplitude within the mainlobes, preserving the characteristics of the original response. Correspondingly, a new thresholding function, named Thinner Response Undistorted THresholding (TRUTH), is introduced. An iterative algorithm for enhancing automotive SAR images using MSR is also presented. Real data experiments validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/9/1483automotive SARimage restorationweighting schemethresholding functionconsistent enhancementmulti-segment-reweighted regularization
spellingShingle Yan Zhang
Bingchen Zhang
Yirong Wu
Undistorted and Consistent Enhancement of Automotive SAR Image via Multi-Segment-Reweighted Regularization
Remote Sensing
automotive SAR
image restoration
weighting scheme
thresholding function
consistent enhancement
multi-segment-reweighted regularization
title Undistorted and Consistent Enhancement of Automotive SAR Image via Multi-Segment-Reweighted Regularization
title_full Undistorted and Consistent Enhancement of Automotive SAR Image via Multi-Segment-Reweighted Regularization
title_fullStr Undistorted and Consistent Enhancement of Automotive SAR Image via Multi-Segment-Reweighted Regularization
title_full_unstemmed Undistorted and Consistent Enhancement of Automotive SAR Image via Multi-Segment-Reweighted Regularization
title_short Undistorted and Consistent Enhancement of Automotive SAR Image via Multi-Segment-Reweighted Regularization
title_sort undistorted and consistent enhancement of automotive sar image via multi segment reweighted regularization
topic automotive SAR
image restoration
weighting scheme
thresholding function
consistent enhancement
multi-segment-reweighted regularization
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/9/1483
work_keys_str_mv AT yanzhang undistortedandconsistentenhancementofautomotivesarimageviamultisegmentreweightedregularization
AT bingchenzhang undistortedandconsistentenhancementofautomotivesarimageviamultisegmentreweightedregularization
AT yirongwu undistortedandconsistentenhancementofautomotivesarimageviamultisegmentreweightedregularization