Optimal sensor placement for multi-bistatic ISAR imaging

Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) images are typically used for target recognition and identification purposes. The target projection on the ISAR image plane depends on the target's own motions and on the relative position of target and radar. Since targets of interest are often non-cooperative, the first condition is not under the radar's control. Nevertheless, the relative radar-target position can be somehow controlled or predicted in some cases. Moreover, the use of multiple receivers enhances the likelihood that a desired radar-target position occurs during radar measurements. In this paper, the theoretical aspects of optimal sensor positioning for obtaining desired ISAR image projections are detailed. A mathematical tool will be presented that is able to predict the optimal sensor positions for maximising the probability of obtaining a desired ISAR image. Real data will be used that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed tool.