Fourier Array Processing for Buried Victims Detection Using Ultra Wide Band Radar with Uncalibrated Sensors

• Published in: IGARSS 2008 - 2008 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium Vol. 2; pp. II-831 - II-834
• Main Author: Lidicky, L.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.07.2008
• Subjects: Array signal processing; Earthquakes; Fires; Ground penetrating radar; Principal component analysis; Radar detection; Robustness; SAR; Sensor arrays; space-time adaptive processing; STAP MTI; synthetic aperture radar; Terrorism; ultra wide band ground penetrating radar; Ultra wideband radar; UWB GPR
• ISBN: 1424428076; 9781424428076
• ISSN: 2153-6996
• DOI: 10.1109/IGARSS.2008.4779123

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new way to detect victims buried in or under layers of rubble or debris in case of disasters such as earthquakes, fires or terrorist attacks. The method is based on Fourier processing and principal component analysis (PCA). It utilizes a moving array of sensors arranged in the line of motion. It combines the speed and robustness of Fourier-based processing with a capability of space-time adaptive processing (STAP) to detect objects moving at extremely low velocities. The concept is demonstrated on several experiments carried out using an ultra wide band (UWB) ground penetrating radar (GPR). A fast, yet robust and extremely sensitive technique is being tested to achieve detection of the slightest motion (such as breathing) of a subject using uncalibrated sensors.