Performance Boundaries and Tradeoffs in Super-Resolution Imaging Technologies for Space Targets

Abstract: Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) super-resolution imaging technology is widely applied in space target imaging. However, the performance limits of super-resolution imaging algorithms remain a rarely explored issue. This paper investigates these limits by analyzing the boundaries of super-resolution algorithms for space targets and examines the relationships between key contributing factors. In particular, drawing on the established mathematical theory of computational resolution limits (CRL) for line spectrum reconstruction, we derive mathematical expressions for the upper and lower bounds of cross-range super-resolution imaging, based on ISAR imaging model transformations. Leveraging the explicit expressions, we first explore influencing factors of these bounds, such as the traditional Rayleigh limit, the number of scatterers, and the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of scatterers. Then we elucidate the minimum resource requirements in ISAR imaging imposed by the CRL theory to meet the desired cross-range resolution, without which studying super-resolution algorithms becomes unnecessary in practice. Furthermore, the tradeoffs between the cumulative rotation angle, the radar transmit energy, and other contributing factors in optimizing the resolution are analyzed. Simulations are conducted to demonstrate these tradeoffs across various ISAR imaging scenarios, revealing their high dependence on specific imaging targets.