SAR Image Target Recognition Method by Global and Local Dictionary Sparse Representation

Target variant detection has been challenging for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and the performance of the target variant recognition needs to be further enhanced. SAR images are widely used in the field of target recognition and are important to support reconnaissance operations. This paper proposes a novel research approach to improve the efficiency of target recognition. First, the theory surrounding sparse representation and dictionary learning is presented. Secondly, a SAR image target recognition model is constructed according to the theory. Meanwhile, a dynamic joint sparse representation model is proposed based on multi-information and applied to SAR image target recognition when sparse representation is under consideration. Finally, experiments are set up to validate the proposed model. The results are presented as follows: 1. the recognition rate range of the sample SAR image target is 0.811–0.995 and 0.867–0.990, respectively, when the two cases, without registration processing and with registration processing, utilize the recognition method of dictionary learning and sparse representation. 2. with the increase in dictionary size, the average recognition rate of SAR images based on multi-information dynamic joint sparse representation also increases under the conditions of no logarithm transformation and median filtering and after logarithm transformation and median filtering are run. Then, the average recognition rate range is 0.63–0.9 and 0.65–0.96, respectively. Thus, the recognition rate is improved by 5%-10%. 3. the recognition approach based on the sparse representation of multi-information dynamic joint has distinct sparse degrees of SAR image recognition in the case of logarithmic transformation and median filtering when the sample image has been registered and not been registered. The relative average recognition rates were 0.950–0.970 and 0.955–0.977, respectively. The key contribution of the research is to offer a workable solution to the issues plaguing SAR target variant recognition and to improve the significant limitations in the state-of-the-art literature thoroughly.