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Synthetic Aperature Radar (SAR) is a unique method of improving the 
azimuth resolution capabilities of SLAR. Radar resolution in the azimuth 
is function of the transmitting antenna length. Aircraft are limited to the 
physical size of an antenna that can be carried aloft, thereby limiting the 
azimuth resolution. SAR is a technique used to synthesize a much longer 
antenna by utilizing the foward motion of the platform, thereby grea M 
improving the azimuth resolution. Because of the impoved resolution SA 
provides a capability to collect fine detailed information over vast areas 
in short periods of time. — 
This radar information is in both analog (hardcopy) and digital formats. 
The AIMS system will be able to utilize the more advantagous exploitation 
potentiel © either or both formats depending on the particular application 
and situation. 
AIMS INTEGRATION CONCEPT 
In the development of the overall AIMS concept a number of important 
considerations were evaluated: 
. the majority of radar exploitation tasks today and a significant amount 
of the companion visual spectrum imagery in the near future will still be 
in harcopy form, consequently a system that will process and exploit radar 
imagery should have the attributes to handle both analog and digital image 
ormats. 
digital image processing has advanced to the point to where the 
[hi adration of high resolution display and processing systems as well as 
pare iei Processing have made it possible to perform near real-time 
exploitation. 
low cost, precision devices to convert analog imagery sources to a 
digital format are readily available. These devices can perform this 
function in a cost effective and reponsive manner. 
the precision of analog stereoplotter devices such as Autometric's 
APPS-IV far excedes that of digital systems in terms of visual acuity, 
point mensuration and quick adaptability to a wide number of potential 
users. 
the ability of the APPS-IV(with SUPER-P") to superimpose graphic 
and/or text over an analog imagery source is a key element in the 
feature/change identification and precise location. 
until automated processes advance, and become more dependable,it will 
be essential to keep the human factor in the exploitation loop. 
new capabilities in the areas of automated feature extraction, pattern 
recognition, selectable change detection algorithms, rule based expert 
systems and overall artificial intelfigence methodologies are rapidly 
maturing. The potential for applying these technologies to spatial data 
handling are very real. 
Ror jie of a Merged Analog/Digital Image Processing/Exploitation 
ystem 
AIMS offers the unique capabilty of being able to handle and process 
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