Influence of random phase errors on the spatial resolution of synthesis aperture radar

The article discusses the problem of analyzing the influence of random phase errors on the resolution of synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The object of study is the average scattering function of the image of a point target in the space of radar coordinates. For this function, it is possible to obtain an analytical solution that takes into account the statistical characteristics of phase fluctuations of the SAR trajectory signal, including their multidimensional probably distribution function. The resulting expressions can be used to analyze the influence of trajectory instabilities, vibrations, atmospheric fluctuations, and instabilities in the SAR transmit-receive path. Calculations can be performed for any given flight trajectory of the SAR, taking into account the features of the SAR mode and the effect of range migration. As an illustration of the proposed technique, the influence of trajectory instabilities of the radar caused by fluctuations in the wind velocity field on the degradation of the resolution of the VHF band SAR using a satellite navigation system is analyzed.