Microwave Radiometric Coherence Imaging: A Novel Electromagnetic Imaging Technique

A new microwave (MW) imaging technique for the reconstruction of complex permittivity profiles of lossy dielectric objects is proposed. The proposed technique is based on partial coherence in thermal radiation of objects and is distinct from interferometric radiometry used for high-resolution imaging of brightness temperature. This is a unique feature of the method that distinguishes it from other MW imaging methods for permittivity reconstruction, where the underlying physical phenomenon is electromagnetic scattering by the probed object. Equations governing the imaging method are presented, and its potential for complex permittivity reconstruction in two dimensions is demonstrated with simulations.