Ground-Penetrating Radar: Operation Principle and Data Processing

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a technology exploiting radiofrequency and microwaves to image optically opaque media, with the main aim of gaining information about the geometry of buried or hidden targets. Differently from a conventional radar, which is used mostly for navigation and surveillance, GPR requires a more challenging design because it must be able to investigate loss media and mitigate multipath and clutter, which can obscure the targets of interest. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the main scientific and technical aspects for a reliable use of GPR technology and the production of easily interpretable images. Specifically, a survey of the hardware solutions and data processing procedures is provided by giving a brief review of the state of art solutions. In addition, the state of art microwave tomographic approach is presented and validated against experimental data collected in laboratory conditions.