A Contrast-Enhanced Approach for Aerial Moving Target Detection Based on Distributed Satellites

This study proposes a novel technique for detecting aerial moving targets using multiple satellite radars. The approach enhances the image contrast of fused local three-dimensional (3D) profiles. Exploiting global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellites as illuminators of opportunity (IOs) has...

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Main Authors: Yu Li, Hansheng Su, Jinming Chen, Weiwei Wang, Yingbin Wang, Chongdi Duan, Anhong Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/5/880
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author Yu Li
Hansheng Su
Jinming Chen
Weiwei Wang
Yingbin Wang
Chongdi Duan
Anhong Chen
author_facet Yu Li
Hansheng Su
Jinming Chen
Weiwei Wang
Yingbin Wang
Chongdi Duan
Anhong Chen
author_sort Yu Li
collection DOAJ
description This study proposes a novel technique for detecting aerial moving targets using multiple satellite radars. The approach enhances the image contrast of fused local three-dimensional (3D) profiles. Exploiting global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellites as illuminators of opportunity (IOs) has brought remarkable innovations to multistatic radar. However, target detection is restricted by radiation sources since IOs are often uncontrollable. To address this, we utilize satellite radars operating in an active self-transmitting and self-receiving mode for controllability. The main challenge of multiradar target detection lies in effectively fusing the target echoes from individual radars, as the target ranges and Doppler histories differ. To this end, two periods, namely the integration period and detection period, are precisely designed. In the integration period, we propose a range difference-based positive and negative second-order Keystone transform (SOKT) method to make range compensation accurate. This method compensates for the range difference rather than the target range. In the detection period, we develop two weighting functions, i.e., the Doppler frequency rate (DFR) variance function and smooth spatial filtering function, to extract prominent areas and make efficient detection, respectively. Finally, the results from simulation datasets confirm the effectiveness of our proposed technique.
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spelling doaj-art-e31d87f901a14c4185c44127d3eae33e2025-08-20T02:53:02ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-03-0117588010.3390/rs17050880A Contrast-Enhanced Approach for Aerial Moving Target Detection Based on Distributed SatellitesYu Li0Hansheng Su1Jinming Chen2Weiwei Wang3Yingbin Wang4Chongdi Duan5Anhong Chen6Xi’an Institute of Space Radio Technology, Xi’an 710100, ChinaScience and Technology on Space Physics Laboratory, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, Beijing 100076, ChinaXi’an Institute of Space Radio Technology, Xi’an 710100, ChinaXi’an Institute of Space Radio Technology, Xi’an 710100, ChinaXi’an Institute of Space Radio Technology, Xi’an 710100, ChinaXi’an Institute of Space Radio Technology, Xi’an 710100, ChinaScience and Technology on Space Physics Laboratory, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, Beijing 100076, ChinaThis study proposes a novel technique for detecting aerial moving targets using multiple satellite radars. The approach enhances the image contrast of fused local three-dimensional (3D) profiles. Exploiting global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellites as illuminators of opportunity (IOs) has brought remarkable innovations to multistatic radar. However, target detection is restricted by radiation sources since IOs are often uncontrollable. To address this, we utilize satellite radars operating in an active self-transmitting and self-receiving mode for controllability. The main challenge of multiradar target detection lies in effectively fusing the target echoes from individual radars, as the target ranges and Doppler histories differ. To this end, two periods, namely the integration period and detection period, are precisely designed. In the integration period, we propose a range difference-based positive and negative second-order Keystone transform (SOKT) method to make range compensation accurate. This method compensates for the range difference rather than the target range. In the detection period, we develop two weighting functions, i.e., the Doppler frequency rate (DFR) variance function and smooth spatial filtering function, to extract prominent areas and make efficient detection, respectively. Finally, the results from simulation datasets confirm the effectiveness of our proposed technique.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/5/880aerial moving targetdetectiondistributed satellitecontrastsecond-order keystone transformdoppler frequency rate
spellingShingle Yu Li
Hansheng Su
Jinming Chen
Weiwei Wang
Yingbin Wang
Chongdi Duan
Anhong Chen
A Contrast-Enhanced Approach for Aerial Moving Target Detection Based on Distributed Satellites
Remote Sensing
aerial moving target
detection
distributed satellite
contrast
second-order keystone transform
doppler frequency rate
title A Contrast-Enhanced Approach for Aerial Moving Target Detection Based on Distributed Satellites
title_full A Contrast-Enhanced Approach for Aerial Moving Target Detection Based on Distributed Satellites
title_fullStr A Contrast-Enhanced Approach for Aerial Moving Target Detection Based on Distributed Satellites
title_full_unstemmed A Contrast-Enhanced Approach for Aerial Moving Target Detection Based on Distributed Satellites
title_short A Contrast-Enhanced Approach for Aerial Moving Target Detection Based on Distributed Satellites
title_sort contrast enhanced approach for aerial moving target detection based on distributed satellites
topic aerial moving target
detection
distributed satellite
contrast
second-order keystone transform
doppler frequency rate
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/5/880
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