Proof-of-Concept of GNSS-based Phase Synchronization for Bistatic and Multistatic SAR Missions

Kurzfassung

This paper addresses the critical issue of phase synchronization in multistatic SAR. We present the experimental validation of a GNSS-based method, planned for use in the upcoming ESA’s Earth Explorer Harmony mission, where both the radar payload and GNSS receiver utilize the same oscillator. The paper outlines the experimental procedure for assessing the achievable accuracy and calibrating covariances. It presents a point-to-point estimation, and a smoothing approach based on a stochastic description of phase noise. The technique achieved in a lab environment relative synchronization errors below 515 fs (1 sigma), or 1 degree for a 5.4 GHz radar system.