INFLUENCE OF TIME SYNCHRONIZATION ERROR ON BISTATIC GEO SAR IMAGING

The errors of time and frequency synchronization in bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) can have serious impacts on SAR images, if not compensated well. In this paper, we analyze the influence of time synchronization error on bistatic geosynchronous SAR (GEO SAR) imaging. First, the GEO SAR echo signal model under the influence of time synchronization error is established, through which the impacts of the constant, linear and random time synchronization errors on imaging are analyzed theoretically. Second, the theoretical analyses were verified by simulations. In addition, through simulations, the influences of the time synchronization error on low earth orbit SAR (LEO SAR) and GEO SAR are compared. The results show that the impacts of the constant, linear and random terms on GEO SAR are the same, greater and slighter compared with those on LEO SAR, respectively. This study provides a theoretical basis for future research on the time synchronization technology of multistatic GEO SAR.