UWB Processing Applied to Multifrequency Radar Sounders: The Case of MARSIS and Comparison With SHARAD
Letizia Gambacorta, Maria Carmela Raguso, Marco Mastrogiuseppe, R. Seu
Abstract
We re-adapt an UltraWide-Band (UWB) processing to enhance range resolution of the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) up to a factor six (25m). The technique provides for the estimation of radar signature over a wider spectrum via the application of well-known super-resolution (SR) techniques to adjoining sub-bands. The measured spectra are first interpolated and then extrapolated outside the original bands. The revised algorithm includes the estimation and removal of ionospheric effects impacting the two signals. Because the processing requires the realignment of the echoes at different frequencies, we derived the maximum tolerable retracking error to obtain reliable super-resolved range profiles. This condition is fulfilled by low-roughness areas compared to MARSIS wavelength, that proves to be suitable for the application of our processing. Examples of super-resolved experimental products over different geological scenarios shows the detection of shallow dielectric interfaces not visible from original MARSIS products. Our results are validated by comparison with the Shallow Radar (SHARAD) data acquired at the crossovers, demonstrating the potential of the method to provide enhanced imaging capabilities.