Mapping the Dielectric Properties of Unknown Targets by Using a Network of Microwave Sensors: A Proof-of-Concept †

The subject of this paper is the possible use of a network of microwave sensors to achieve a map of the electromagnetic properties of unknown targets. The basic idea is to use a set of microwave sensors to illuminate a region of interest and to measure the resulting axial component of the electric field. Measurements are then processed by means of a technique based on inverse-scattering, which provides an estimate map of the dielectric values of the area under examination, allowing to discriminate among possible targets. In order to initially evaluate the feasibility of the proposed approach, numerical results in a simulated environment are preliminarily considered and discussed. Furthermore, an initial test on experimental data in a simplified configuration is also presented.