AFOSR

Sensing Surveillance & Navigation

16 March 2011

Dr. Jon Sjogren

Program Manager
AFOSR/RSE
Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 88ABW-2011-0754
 The Shape of Signals/Sensing to Come

• The culture of signals engineering and mathematics are historically

intertwined, should reinforce each other all the more in future
We introduce prominent mathematicians to cutting-edge
problems/issues from engineering, and acquaint talented
engineers with abstract mathematical methodologies

• Engineering researchers of exceptional mathematical talent:

– B. Yazici (RPI)
– the school of A. Willsky (MIT, BAE Alphatech inter alia)
– R. Baraniuk (Rice), M. Zoltowski (Purdue)
will receive concrete encouragement
• As counterpoint to increasing specialization, we promote a
Culture of technology advancement, based on the flexible
understanding of foundational Concepts/Principles
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 PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW

• Fully Adaptive Radar and Waveform Design

– Payoff: Spectral Dominance, enhanced Radar resolution

• Operator Formalism to Represent Image-from-Data

Process
– Payoff: Novel Mathematical Imaging Solutions to Facilitate a Variety of
Sensing Modalities and Geometry

• Sensing in Target Identification: Analysis/Synthesis

of Invariants
– Payoff: Fast classification of objects with high dependability

• Non GPS-based Navigation and Geo-location

– Payoff: Navigation, location and targeting anywhere, with GPS
precision

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 Surveillance and Target Imaging/Target Recognition
FY 2010 Initiations
Multi-Dimensional Diverse Waveform Design for Multi-Antenna Sensing &
Surveillance Systems (Purdue University)
Develop a set of tools for matrix treatment of MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) radar waveforms
which enable performance gains through jointly adaptive “transmit” and “receive” diversity.
Systematic design of “Barker phase-coded sequences” of length > 13 is due for a breakthrough.

Hybrid Camera Array for Tracking with Low Light (YIP Univ of Delaware)
Joint Information- and Differential-geometric Approach
in Automated Target Recognition (YIP Univ of Florida)

Noise Radar Implementing Compressive Sensing (Penn State University)

Improved radar resolution results from application of noise-like “transmit” wave-forms, and information-
theoretic reconstruction principles , leading to a method superior to “classical ambiguity function”. This
method permits a stronger measure of statistical dependence between random processes, generalizing
“matched filters” in a way that treats the case of non-linear dependencies, and higher-order correlation.

Thermal Light “Ghost Imaging” (Univ of Maryland, Baltimore Campus)

The phenomenon of ghost- imaging is well understood where the illumination is coherent. Classical
explanations have been given for the case of thermal light. Experimental paradigms are proposed that
should enable a definitive decision on whether quantum optics are inherent. Reconstituting obscured
objects from an image point of view lends a critical edge to defense/attack and surveillance capabilities.
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 Networking, Navigation, Covert
Communications
FY2010 Initiations
• Real-Time Combat Navigation System and Virtual Battlespace (Univ of Cincinnati)
• Five echelons to achieve high performance under feedback control system along with an
advanced fused multi-sensor navigation system.
• Joint Signal Design/Processing to Achieve Information Dominance with Networking Sensors
(Lehigh Univ)
• Realization of design advantages, taking into account the various standard protocol layers of
wireless sensor network with standard/innovative processing.
• Performance Analysis of Sensor and Communications Networks under Dynamic High
Interference (Illinois Institute of Technology)
• Multiple jammers and sensors will constitute a combined electronic proactive ability and
electronic protection system. previous work allows a single electronic interferer a capability to
analyze over both Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing configuration, as well as Multiple
Input Multiple Output.
• Efficient Spectrum Management in Cognitive RF/Sensor Networks: Game-Theoretic Analysis
(LSU)
• On-the-fly dynamic algorithms for on-line power-band (“spectra”) allocation.
• High-Accuracy Satellite Signal Parameter Estimation Algorithms (Miami of Ohio)
•The contrast between potentially strong interference and the weak GPS signal renders difficult
“precision navigation “ under conditions of ionospheric scintillation. It is critical to acquire large
amounts of high quality data under various ionospheric conditions.
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 SENSING SURVEILLANCE
PORTFOLIO INVESTMENT TRENDS

Multi-Antenna “Diverse Transmit” and “Distributed Receive” Sensing

Geometric (Invariant) Analysis of Data in High Dimensions
Mathematical Innovation in Passive and Opportunistic Radar
Surveillance through Coupling of Viewing and Navigating Functions
Classical Pattern-matching in Target Identification
Satellite Resource Optimization
Dual-frequency Spatial Light Modulator Adaptive Optics

National 6.1 Context: ATR + SSA + 3-D modeling:

ARO/ARL concentration on landmine detection (work at Adelphi, Maryland, Site)
Navy ongoing interest in acoustical target recognition
ONR concentration in statistical Signal Processing, mathematical techniques
such as “reversed Heat Equation”
DARPA: FOPEN project ran 6 years, now DARPA ATR is in “Pause Mode”
– 3-D Urbanscape/URGENT and parallel “Visi-building”
SSA: “Chinese” satellite incident and N Korean ICBM tests drive Navy Theater 6
Defense (THAD)
 6.1 LABORATORY TASKS

Sensing Surveillance
S.V. Amphay (RWGI): Azimuth-Scanning SAR Signal Processing, Imaging Strategies
B. Himed(RYAP): Radar Waveform Optimization
G. Arnold (RYAT): Model-based ATR for Air Force Missions, Invariance-based ATR
M. Rangaswamy (RYAP): Novel Waveform Design and Sensor Fusion for Integrated C4ISR
L. Perlovsky (RYHE): Theoretical Foundations of Multi-Platform Systems, Layered Sensing
J. Malas (RYAS): Characterization of System Uncertainties within a Sensor Information Channel

Covert Communications, Navigation

D. Hughes (RIGE): Optical Wireless Covert Communications

Lab Prospects 2011-2015

Integrated GPS and Inertial Navigation; Novel Geo-location and Timekeeping
RYMN is the AFRL Standard-bearer (DeVilbiss, Pujara)

Electronic Warfare & Countermeasures

RYWE (Chakravarthy)
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 “Designed-In” Waveform Diversity
for spectral dominance

Why?
• Rapidly Dwindling Electromagnetic (EM) Spectrum
• Challenging Environments
• Multi-path Rich Scenarios

Waveform Optimization Simultaneous Multi-Function Frequency Diverse Array

•Designed Waveforms for • Spectrally Efficient Waveform
•Adaptive Range
Transmit Adaptivity Design
Dependent Beam-patterns
•Interference Suppression • Enabled Multi-mission
Capability •Electronic Steering with
•System Constraints
Frequency Offsets
• Joint Adaptivity on Transmit
and Receive •Inherent Countermeasure
Capability
Multitasks

F   SAR
MTI

Comm.
W1(t) W (t)


2 W3(t) ….
Wn(t)

 B0 B1 B0 8

Available bandwidth
 “Fully Adaptive” Radar (FAR)

Resource Allocator Scheduler

Transmit Channel Receiver

Resource

Controller

Tracker

A priori
Information Classifier
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MURI: Adaptive Waveform Design for Full Spectral
Dominance (2005-2010)

Arye Nehorai (Team Leader) Washington University in St. Louis

Danilo Erricolo (co-Leader) University of Illinois at Chicago
Antonia Papandreou-Suppappola and Darryl Morrell Arizona State University
Navin Khaneja Harvard University
John Benedetto University of Maryland
William Moran University of Melbourne
Robert Calderbank Princeton University
Mark R. Bell and Michael Zoltowski Purdue University
Harry Schmitt Raytheon Missile Systems

Number of PhD students supported 45

Number of MS students supported 3
Number of US students put into 8
science/engineering program
Number of plenary talks 16
Special issues in journals 3
Number of peer reviewed journal 80
papers
Special sessions in conferences 20
Number of conference papers 150

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 MURI: Adaptive Waveform Design for Full Spectral Dominance
Technology Transition/Transfer

Originator Transition Topic Recipient

Adaptive waveform design for detecting low-
MURI Team grazing-angle and small-RCS targets NRL
MURI Team Waveform adaptivity for radar AFRL, AFIT
Benedetto CAZAC software AFRL
Benedetto Björk CAZAC
ambiguity function constructions Northrop-Grumman, MITRE
Calderbank, Howard and Moran Instantaneous radar polarimetry MITRE
Calderbank and Howard Passive radar using DVB-T signals DSTO
Howard and Moran Adaptive radar testbed development AFRL
Moran Radar-on-a-chip project for automotive applications Victorian State Government, Australia
Moran Small portable weather radars Australian research council discovery
Erricolo Radio frequency tomography AFRL
RF pulse sequences/waveforms in magnetic TUM, Aarhus, Harvard Medical School,
Khaneja resonance applications MIT
Nehorai OFDM MIMO radar for low-grazing angle tracking Raytheon

Nehorai MIMO radar for target tracking GTRI

Nehorai Adaptive polarimetric and OFDM radar AFRL
Nehorai Applying sparsity based algorithms to radar AFRL
estimation and tracking
Nehorai Biologically inspired antenna array design AFRL
Papandreou and Morrell Waveform-agile tracking in urban terrain Lockheed Martin
Waveform-agile design algorithms in multi-modal
Papandreou sensing applications AFRL
Waveform-agile design algorithms in structural
Papandreou health management of aerospace systems AFRL
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 Target Detection in Multipath Scenarios
Adaptive OFDM Radar for A. Nehorai, WUSTL
Target Detection

GOAL:
Detect a moving target in the presence of
multipath reflections.

APPROACH:
Employ a wideband OFDM signal to resolve
Limited LOS returns in multipath and exploit the multipath propagations.
scenarios, e.g., urban environments Exploiting multipath reflections
improves detection
Develop a generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) performance, as shown in this
test for detecting the target. ROC plot.

Adaptively design the OFDM signal to

provide better detection performance by
matching with the operational scenario.
Future Challenges:
RESULTS: •Develop realistic models
Exploiting multipath components improves incorporating physical
the target detection performance. effects, such as
diffractions, refractions and
Optimization of the spectral components of attenuations.
the OFDM waveform further improves the
Exploiting multipath components •Expand the detection over
performance.
increases the spatial diversity multiple range cells.
and provides nonzero Doppler
even in LOS scenario.

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Exploiting multipath reflections improves the target detection performance
 SAR Wish List
• Multi-function, robust, agile, adaptive system with performance guarantees
– operate in complex, rapidly varying environments
– achieve multiple, dynamically changing objectives
• Persistent, wide area coverage
• Guaranteed global access to cooperative and non-cooperative domains
• Tailored performance – information driven sensing
• Timeliness – Efficient access to relevant information

Move-Stop-Move
Vehicle Tracking

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 “GOTCHA” Radar
multiple-pass SAR (“persistent staring”)
ASC RY

Continual “CAT Scan” of Area Operation & Capability

of Interest
• An advance on “2-Pass” Coherent Change Detect
• Filter out “trivial” changes (swaying trees): use
20 Km angular diversity
Spot • Research will be stimulated through availability of
Coherent Change Detection data sent to academic
investigators, and archiving of Phase Histories
• Move toward operational capability like an “Angel
Global Hawk Completes Circle Fire” in Radio-Frequency Mode (“Deadly Dwell”)
~ Every 9 Minutes

Science/Tech Challenges Impact of Basic Research

• 3-D Imaging requires coherent processing of
phase data
• Geo-location of the Platform is Everything! • Correlate composite scattering phenomena:
High resolution requires extreme precision
• Improvements on Autofocus (post-processing
phase correction) algorithms without GPS
• GOTCHA takes a stride toward availability of
“Multi-Modal” radar with adjustable
SAR mode/Doppler mode
• Correct application of “compressive
sensing”: exploit „Data Sparseness‟
This leads to use of diverse/multiple orbits
• “Invariance methods” have bolstered
robust “location” strategies (Texas A&M)
• Non-uniform fast Fourier methods (Yale)
enables theory of wide-angle imaging
• Applications of “random signals
propagation” (Rensselaer Poly, Stanford) 14
 Electro-Optic Stare (and later SAR)

B. Yazici, RPI

Micro-local Analysis: A Toolbox to Make SAR Effective

• Provides imaging and detection methods in complex
environments and agile and diverse sensing scenarios
– Arbitrary or diverse trajectories, flexible transmitted waveforms
– Radar Geometries: MIMO, multi-static, bi-static, passive sensing,
Signal of Opportunity (or Hitchhiker)
– Complex environments involving multiple scattering, clutter
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 Synthetic Aperture Radar Modalities

M-L analysis leads to original and novel SAR imaging

paradigms
• Mono-static SAR
• Bi-static SAR
• Multi-static SAR
• (Fully) Passive SAR *(Opportunistic Sensing, “Hitchhiker”)
• Inverse SAR (ISAR)
• Interferometric SAR (IfSAR or InSAR)*
• Polarimetric SAR (PolSAR)
• Moving target imaging SAR
• Ultra-narrowband SAR *
• 3D SAR * … * architecture motivated by FIO formulation

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 Start with Wave-front Set of a Function:

• Wave-front set – Composed of (x0 , ξ)

• Singularity at x0 – The function is not smooth at x0
• Direction - The function varies rapidly in the direction
of ξ
Small Point

Edge

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 Bi-static Synthetic Aperture Radar

• Bi-static SAR – Transmitter and receiver are far apart

Bi-static SAR Imaging

Iso-range surfaces = Ellipsoids

Iso-range contours = Intersection of ellipsoids

with topography

Flat topography  Ellipses

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 Micro-local Image Formation for Bi-static SAR

B. Yazici & M. Cheney, RPI

• Micro-local reconstruction Back-propagate ellipsoidal

waves and compensate for their attenuation
• Micro-local technique recovers IsoDoppler contours (Red)
“visible singularities/edges” + IsoRange contours (Blue)
at the intersection of bi-static
iso-range and iso-Doppler contours

Bistatic Range

Bistatic Doppler

Flat topography
and fixed altitude 19
 Non GPS-based Navigation: Achieve “Dependable”
Precision Navigation and Timing (PNT)

in support of sensing, surveillance, guidance/control in caves,

tunnels, under interference F. Van Graas, M. u.d. Haag, Ohio Univ

• (Laser) Scanning for Assured 3-D Navigation of UAV

• 3D Navigation:
– Tight integration of Ladar data with Inertial Measurements,
– Use IMU for data association; Ladar for IMU calibration
• Assurance:
– Measured solution covariance (position and attitude)
enables the implementation of an integrity function,
• UAV Design:
– Hovering sensor platform with a 10-lb payload
(platform functions as sensor gimbal)

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 Design Optimized for Sensing Payload

360 Degree IMU and

Laser Scanner Controller Board

Flying Sensor Platform

21
 Ionosphere Error:
The Most Variable GPS Error Sources

Many error sources in GPS:

Ionosphere SV orbit error
SV clock error
Receiver clock error
Receiver noise
Hardware bias
Antenna phase center offset
…….

Troposphere Widespread Myth:

Dual frequency GPS receivers eliminate all
ionosphere error
Multipath Facts:
Higher order ionosphere Error (up to 10’s cm)
remains in dual frequency measurements
Higher order ionosphere error is difficult to access
because its similarity with multipath error features
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 Ionosphere Scintillation Effect on GPS
J. Y-T. Morton, Miami of Ohio

• Ionosphere irregularities cause

SV velocity vs
wave diffraction and scattering
• Receiver experience fading and/or Incident wave
rapid phase fluctuations Ionosphere
• Navigation solution error increases
and receiver may lose lock
Wave front:
• uniform phase
• uniform amplitude

Wave emerging from

below irregularities:
• non-uniform phase
• non-uniform amplitude

Diffraction/interference pattern
Figure from Inside GNSS Ground
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 Secure Communications Using Electromagnetism
Mobile Quantum Communications
RIGE: D. Hughes, J. Malowicki

• Air Force goal is high-rate, ultra-high security in data transmission (both in RF and
optical regime) and secret “key generation” process (eg, a modified LFSR).
• “Key generation” has employed mathematical methods such as “trap-door” functions;
a stronger method is “physically” to build-in a layer of covertness. (Standard RSA is
vulnerable to cracking through “quantum computing” and other methods.)
• In-house AFRL work is achieving high-rate quantum data encryption, interoperable
with existing networks both in fiber and in free space.
• Enhanced Air-to-Ground Lasercom System (EAGLS) experiment in free space, mobile
quantum communications, has demonstrated 2.5 Gb/s quantum-encrypted transport
between a fixed ground node and an aircraft at up to 20 kilometers.
• This demonstration has used varying phase states of coherent light, in which quantum
noise provides the “physical randomness” to the cipher-text, i.e. absolute covertness.

Stockbridge ,NY Test Site,

with Campbell, California