Abstract

2D ISAR is able to reconstruct e.m. images of non-cooperative targets by using the relative motion between the radar and the target. However 2D ISAR produce 2D images of 3D targets and the image projection plane is not a priori known because it depends on the target motion, which is unknown. This may prevent a correct interpretation of the 2D ISAR images. The 3D InISAR has been recently proposed to avoid the problem related to the projection plane because it produces a three-dimensional reconstruction of the target. The 3D InISAR has been validated using real data acquired using either ground based and airborne interferometric radar systems. There is however the need to boost the 3D InISAR algorithm performance to make it more robust and fully operative. In fact, the performance of the 3D InISAR algorithm strongly depends on the ISAR focus quality, the scattering extraction algorithm that selects the brightest scatterers in the 2D ISAR images, and the coherence among the receivers. Polarimetry and spatial diversity can be used to handle this task. After a short review of this method, open problems are illustrated, such as the possibility to find improved solutions to the sub-optimal solution used to select the best polarimetric vector for the target height estimation.