A multi-scale weighted back projection imaging technique for ground penetrating radar applications

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a new ground penetrating radar (GPR) imaging technique based on multi-scale weighted back projection (BP) processing. Firstly, the whole imaging region is discretized by large scale and low-resolution imaging result is obtained by using traditional BP imaging technique. Secondly, the potential targets regions (PTR) are delineated from low-resolution imaging result by using intensity detection method. In the PTR, small scale discretization is implemented and higher resolution imaging result is obtained by using weighted BP imaging technique. A weight factor is designed by analyzing the statistical characteristics of scattering data on the time-delay curve. The above "discretization-imaging-PTR delineation" processing continues until the imaging resolution reaches the specified requirement. In the multi-scale imaging result, the resolution in other regions is not as high as that in PTR. This algorithm can get higher resolution imaging results with much lower computation compared with traditional BP imaging algorithm. The simulation of this algorithm is processed and experimental results validate the feasibility of this method.