Efficient 3D Image Reconstruction of Airborne TomoSAR Based on Back Projection and Improved Adaptive ISTA

Abstract

Airborne SAR tomography (TomoSAR) 3D image reconstruction can be realized with combination of 2D imaging algorithms and compressed sensing (CS) algorithms. However, most typical CS algorithms cannot achieve a balance between algorithm efficiency and 3D reconstruction accuracy. Due to difficulties in flight path control of airborne SAR, it is hard to realize registration of SAR images with frequency-domain imaging algorithms because of time-varying baseline. To address these problems, an efficient 3D image reconstruction method for airborne TomoSAR based on back projection (BP) algorithm and improved adaptive iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (IA-ISTA) is proposed. First, 2D images are achieved with BP algorithm on the ground plane. After registration of SAR images, 3D image reconstruction results in the elevation direction are realized with IA-ISTA. Selection criterion of IA-ISTA parameters are given in this paper. At last, final 3D image reconstruction results are achieved after geometrical transformation based on geometric relationship. Both simulated data and measured data of a P-band airborne TomoSAR system are used. 3D image reconstruction results show that the proposed method outperforms traditional methods regarding efficiency and accuracy, which proves the validity and practicality of the proposed method.

Keywords

• Airborne SAR tomography (TomoSAR)
• 3D image reconstruction
• compressed sensing (CS)
• iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (ISTA)
• back projection (BP) algorithm