Advanced Sensor Signal Processing Using Optical Techniques.

A Fourier transform based iterative technique is presented for solution of Toeplitz and general matrix equations resulting in an algorithm for the determination of an adaptive beam steering vector from the radar covariance matrix. An associated optoelectronic architecture is offered that computer simulation shows will be more than forty times faster that plausible all-digital alternatives. A quantitative comparison is made between 1860 based architectures and the patented ImSynTM optoelectronic processor for the formation of SAR images. It is shown that the ImSynTM processor meets or exceeds all requirements for current and next generation SAR in a package that is smaller, lighter and that consumes less power than the all-digital devices. Complex valued spatial filters are developed for SAR ATR using simulated SAR images. When implemented on the ImSynTM processor, a high degree of discrimination is demonstrated even between quite similar targets. Optoelectronic implementation of the maximum energy recovery algorithm MERA is studied for the tracking of sub-pixel moving targets. System parameters are given and it is found that most components are or will be commercially available.