Automated rebar detection in images from groundpenetrating radar (GPR) is a challenging problem and difficult to perform in real-time as a result of relatively low contrast images and the size of the images. This paper presents a rebar localization algorithm, which can accurately locate the pixel locations of rebar within a GPR scan image. The proposed algorithm uses image classification and st...

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) systems are nowadays standard inspection tools in several application areas, such as subsurface prospecting, civil engineering and cultural heritage monitoring. Usually, the raw output of GPR is provided as a B-scan, which has to be further processed in order to extract the needed information about the inspected scene. In this framework, inverse-scattering-based a...

A solid-state microwave bidirectional repeater designed for use in a guided radar system is described. The radar is meant for detecting obstacles lying along the tracks in guided ground transportation systems. An echo-cancellation scheme is proposed for reducing the effect of reflections from impedance mismatches at repeater ports.

This paper addresses the problem of detecting buried objects using a surface penetrating impulse radar. A big problem is that reeections from the ground surface will obscure the often much weaker target signal. The ground reeections and the target signal are mod-eled using a very simple model. This model is used to derive a detector based on a Likelihood Ratio Test, where unknown model paramete...

Time, location, and polarity of lightning discharges in wintertime thunderstorms are discussed in light of horizontal and height distribution of radar echoes observed by C-band and millimeter-wave radars. The core of the radar echoes that produced a number of positive-current cloud-to-ground discharges in a few minutes tends to be found near a comparatively lower cloud top of 2-3 km heights, su...

In this paper detection performances of the Bayesian Optimum Radar Detector (BORD) against nonGaussian ground clutter data are showed in the case of an unknown complex amplitude target. Recalling first how BORD was derived from the non-Gaussian SIRP model (Spherically Invariant Random Process) clutter we derive theoretical performances of the asymptotical expression of BORD which is CFAR with r...

Compared to laser radar systems based on the conventional discrete echo approach, direct detection laser radar systems with echo signal digitization and subsequent full-waveform analysis like the RIEGL LMS-Q560 provide valuable additional information on the target’s properties. This additional information can be used in the course of the mandatory processing task of classifying the measurement ...

The feasibility of using GPS as a bistatic radar illuminator for the purposes of air target detection is examined. The power budget analysis is first performed assuming the use of a single satellite, but is followed by a discussion of the expected improvements when multiple satellites are employed. The analysis includes the effect of GPS signal strength dynamic range, also known as the ‘near-fa...

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is used to simulate three-dimensional (3-D) geometries of realistic ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scenarios. The radar unit is modeled with two transmitters and a receiver in order to cancel the direct signals emitted by the two transmitters at the receiver. The transmitting and receiving antennas are allowed to have arbitrary polarizations. Sing...

We are very pleased to present the Special Issue “Recent Progress in Electromagnetic Theory and its Applications”, an outcome of the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1208 “Civil engineering applications of Ground Penetrating Radar”. The Special Issue comprises two parts: Part I includes eight papers on Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology, methodology and appl...