Wide-Area Spectrum Cartography

This paper describes U.S. spectrum management measurement challenges and a potential scalable solution using satellite-based observations. Specifically, we investigate the radio frequency passive imaging technique of synthetic aperture source localization (SASL), which combines elements of aperture synthesis (cf. synthetic aperture radar) and time and frequency difference of arrival. We simulate the use of low-cost software-defined radio receivers and low-gain antennas at a common small-satellite altitude of 550 km to implement a SASL approach. Preliminary results demonstrate resolution of emitters with sufficient spatial and spectral detail to provide useful statistical spectrum quantification information to U.S. policymakers and technology developers.