Polarimetric ISAR Image Interpretation Based on Polarimetric Correlation Pattern

Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) plays an important role in man-made target observation, especially in space surveillance. Polarimetric ISAR can acquire full polarimetric information of radar targets, which receives great attention. In this paper, the hidden information in polarimetric rotation domain along the radar's line of sight has been explored by the means of polarimetric correlation pattern. The core idea is to expand the correlation value of two channels acquired at a fixed angle to the rotation domain along the radar's line of sight. Totally four independent polarimetric correlation patterns are derived. Theoretical analysis indicates that the polarimetric correlation pattern various a lot for different canonical structures. Experimental studies with simulated data reveal the potential of polarimetric correlation pattern on man-made target interpretation.