초록 ▼

A method and system are disclosed for imaging a planetary surface region of interest (ROI). In a primary application, a plurality of space vehicles having antennas mounted thereupon are utilized to collect thermal radiation emitted from the ROI and generate corresponding thermal emission signals. Su

A method and system are disclosed for imaging a planetary surface region of interest (ROI). In a primary application, a plurality of space vehicles having antennas mounted thereupon are utilized to collect thermal radiation emitted from the ROI and generate corresponding thermal emission signals. Such thermal emission signals may be combined to yield one or more simple interferometric fringes. The simple fringes may be employed to yield a pixel image of the ROI. In one aspect, one or more simple interferometric fringes may be utilized to generate one or more compound interferometric fringes for use in formation of the pixel image. One or more compound fringes may be utilized to generate additional levels of compound fringes for use in formation of the pixel image. In another aspect, the space vehicles may be positioned in a "near-field" imaging arrangement relative to the ROI and a matched filtering approach may be utilized for extracting amplitude data from the interferometric fringe(s) on a basis for use in pixel image formation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for obtaining an image of a planetary surface region of interest, comprising:a plurality of space vehicles located in known relative positions over a planetary surface region of interest (ROI); a plurality of antennas, each located on a different one of said plurality of space vehicles,

1. A system for obtaining an image of a planetary surface region of interest, comprising:a plurality of space vehicles located in known relative positions over a planetary surface region of interest (ROI); a plurality of antennas, each located on a different one of said plurality of space vehicles, for collecting thermal radiation emissions from said ROI and providing a corresponding plurality of thermal emission signals in response thereto; and, processor means for combining a first thermal emission signal with a complex conjugate of a second thermal emission signal to obtain a first simple interferometric fringe signal and for using said first simple interferometric fringe signal and at least one other signal for said ROI to obtain a compound interferometric fringe signal employable in the formation of a pixel image of said ROI.