Comparison of features from SAR and GMTI imagery of ground targets

We describe an algorithm for class-independent automated target recognition (ATR) and association using rangeDoppler images of moving targets and SAR images of stationary targets. This algorithm can be used both for target identification (by comparison against a pre-existing database of measurements of all potential targets) and target association (not requiring a pre-existing database). The algorithm computes a one-dimensional signature for each received range-Doppler image; these signatures are stored in a database for comparison against other detections. The signatures used in our algorithm are range profiles, generated from the clutter-suppressed, filtered image by incoherently integrating the image energy across a number of Doppler bins centered on the target. The result is then normalized, to remove information about the overall cross-section from the profile, and range-aligned with other collected profiles by matching the profile centroids. Statistical models of the profiles are created as the targets are tracked, and newly-created profiles are compared against the existing models by computing the likelihood of the new profile given a particular model.