Design considerations for a real-time random-noise tracking radar

Random-noise radar has been applied successfully to range measurement, velocity estimation and terrain/target imaging. For applications involving stationary targets, long integration times and process averaging are easily tolerated. In situations where the target or radar platform moves at high speed, the impact of this relative motion on system design should be considered. This work addresses the statistical performance of a generic random-noise radar receiver and examines the inter-relationships between design parameters and performance tradeoffs. Complementing this examination, a random-noise monopulse system is also investigated as a possible architecture for real-time angle estimation. Simulations and numerical illustrations provide the basis of processor design and performance prediction.     

Reply Correlation Test Analysis in Monopulse Beacon Radars

The statistical behavior of the position data furnished by single air traffic control radar beacon system (ATCRBS) reports is analyzed. Some statistical models are correspondingly derived in order to be employed for the performance evaluation of the dwell-time section of the ATCRBS monopulse receiver. The expression of the failure probability is derived for the range and azimuth tests performed by the association algorithms operating in the monopulse ATCRBS target data extractor. Some numerical results are reported referring to the evaluation of the above failure probabilities in different conditions.     

机载雷达中的单脉冲技术

 本文总结机载雷达中单脉冲技术的研究和应用,着重讨论幅度比较系统的关键技术,给出有关数据。 机载雷达中的单脉冲技术着眼于抗干扰性能和特殊应用。这些应用包括空对地测距、角分辨力改进、地形防撞。本文阐述了这些特殊应用。     

Performance Analysis of a Dwell-Time Processor for Monopulse Beacon Radars

Performance of a monopulse air traffic control radar beacon system (ATCRBS) target data extractor is analyzed via an analytical approach. Results refer to a statistical analysis of the section of the receiver which associates replies sent by the desired aircraft during the antenna dwell-time. Some numerical results are reported which refer to the ATCRBS section to be devised in the discrete address beacon system (DABS).     

Development of airborne moving target radar for long range surveillance

The following topics are discussed in the context of the development of an airborne moving target radar for long range surveillance: US Navy long range shipborne radar; Cadillac I airborne early warning (AEW) radar; Cadillac II airborne early warning (AEW) radar; airborne moving target indicating (AMTI) radar; related post-war radar activities; and the invention of the displaced center antenna. Among the topics studied is the use of a monopulse antenna in an MTI radar to remove the degradation of the MTI caused by rapid scanning of the antenna. A method of using a monopulse antenna for motion compensation in airborne MTI is discussed.<>     

Correlation between horizontal and vertical monopulse measurements

Many radar systems use the monopulse ratio to extract angle of arrival (AOA) measurements in both azimuth and elevation angles. The accuracies of each such measurement are reasonably well known: each measurement is, conditioned on the sum-signal return, Gaussian-distributed with calculable bias (relative to the true AOA), and variance. However, we note that the two monopulse ratios are functions of basic radar measurements that are not entirely independent, specifically in that the sum signal is common to both. The effect of this is that the monopulse ratios are dependent, and a simple explicit expression is given for their correlation; this is of considerable interest when the measurements are supplied to a tracking algorithm that requires a measurement covariance matrix. The system performance improvement when this is taken into account is quantified: while it makes little difference for a tracking radar with small pointing errors, there are more substantial gains when a target is allowed to stray within the beam, as with a rotating (track-while-scan) radar or when a single radar dwell interrogates two or more targets at different ranges. But in any case, the correct covariance expression is so simple that there is little reason not to use it. We additionally derive the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) on joint azimuth/elevation angle estimation and discover that it differs only slightly from the covariance matrix corresponding to the individual monopulse ratios. Hence, using the individual monopulse ratios and their simple joint accuracy expression is an adequate and quick approximation of the optimal maximum likelihood procedure for single resolved targets.     

Maximum likelihood angle extractor for two closely spaced targets

In a scenario of closely spaced targets special attention has to be paid to radar signal processing. We present an advanced processing technique, which uses the maximum likelihood (ML) criterion to extract from a monopulse radar separate angle measurements for unresolved targets. This processing results in a significant improvement, in terms of measurement error standard deviations, over angle estimators using the monopulse ratio. Algorithms are developed for Swerling I as well as Swerling III models of radar cross section (RCS) fluctuations. The accuracy of the results is compared with the Cramer Rao lower bound (CRLB) and also to the monopulse ratio technique. A novel technique to detect the presence of two unresolved targets is also discussed. The performance of the ML estimator was evaluated in a benchmark scenario of closely spaced targets - closer than half power beamwidth of a monopulse radar. The interacting multiple model probabilistic data association (IMMPDA) track estimator was used in conjunction with the ML angle extractor     

Receiver operating characteristics for the coherent UWB randomnoise radar

An ultrawideband (UWB) random-noise radar operating in the 1-2 GHz frequency band has been developed and held-tested at a 200 m range at the University of Nebraska. A unique heterodyne correlation technique based on a delayed transmitted waveform using a photonic delay line has been used to inject coherence within this system. The performance of this radar, assuming a point target, has been investigated from a statistical point of view by developing the theoretical basis for the system's receiver operating characteristics (ROC). Explicit analytical expressions for the joint probability density function (pdf) of the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components of the receiver output have been derived under the assumption that the input signals are partially correlated Gaussian processes. The pdf and the complementary cumulative distribution function (cdf) for the envelope of the receiver output are also derived. These expressions are used to relate the probability of detection (P_d) to the probability of false alarm (P_f ) for different numbers of integrated samples, and the results are analyzed     

Monopulse-radar tracking of swerling III-IV targets using multiple observations

This paper proposes a novel statistical prediction of monopulse errors (Levanon, 1988) for a radar Swerling III-IV target embedded in noise or noise jamming where multiple observations are available. First, the study of the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of the complex monopulse ratio for a Swerling III-IV target embedded in spatially white noise allows us to extend the use of the MLE practical approximate form introduced by Mosca (1969) for Swerling 0-I-II cases. Afterward, we derive analytical formulas for both the mean and variance of the MLE in approximate form conditioned by the usual detection step performed on the sum channel of a monopulse antenna. Last, we provide a comparison of target direction of arrival (DOA) estimation performance based on monopulse ratio estimation as a function of the Swerling model in the context of a multifunction radar.     

Multipath and ground clutter analysis for a UWB noise radar

An ultrawideband (UWB) random-noise radar operating in the 1-2 GHz frequency band has been developed and field-tested up to a 200 m range at the Environmental Remote Sensing Laboratory (ERSL) of the University of Nebraska. A unique heterodyne correlation technique based on a delayed transmitted waveform using a photonic delay line has been used to inject coherence within this system. The performance of this radar in the presence of ground reflections is investigated analytically and experimentally, and the mitigating effects of UWB waveform on multipath-induced interference are analyzed. In addition, the ground clutter statistics, in a look-down mode, are theoretically established and experimentally verified. The performance of this radar in detecting clutter embedded targets with small radar cross section (RCS) is also experimentally examined.     

Use of Airborne Monopulse Radar as a Low Approach Aid

The potential of airborne radar to provide pictorial displays as an aid to low approach has stimulated invention of several aircraft approach systems. Early developments are reviewed briefly, and an experiment in producing and flight testing a two-dimensional, range and azimuth, pictorial radar display is described. The monopulse radar equipment and a monopulse display improvement (MDI) technique used in the flight test to enhance the B-scope display are also described in some detail. Representative radar scope photographs are used to illustrate the display available in the aircraft.     

Monopulse Radars Excited by Gaussian Signals

This paper presents the theoretical probability densities of the outputs of both an amplitude-comparison monopulse radar and a phase-comparison monopulse radar when the monopulse radars are excited by Gaussian signals plus Gaussian noises. These probability densities are useful for studying the responses of monopulse radars to noise excitations. For example: Noise excitations arise when the monopulse radars are ?viewing? a noise source or a radar target consisting of randomly moving scatterers. The probability densities also serve as useful approximations for characterizing the outputs of monopulse radars when sinusoidal signals plus Gaussian noises excite the monopulse radars. Some special cases of the probability densities are presented in graphs.     

基于模拟器的单脉冲雷达幅相修正方法研究

以某型单脉冲测量雷达为研究对象,深入分析研究幅相一致性修正的必要性和修正原理,通过理论分析与公式推导,经过大量的试验验证,提出一种基于目标模拟的单脉冲测量雷达无塔幅相修正方法。该方法实现后,已成功应用于该型单脉冲测量雷达,解决了传统幅相修正方法受外界因素影响大的技术难题,同时降低了建造成本和维护难度,取得了良好的军事和经济效益。     

反向交叉眼对单脉冲雷达干扰效果分析及仿真验证

交叉眼干扰被认为是对单脉冲雷达干扰最有效的方式之一。基于雷达方程建立了隔离平台回波下的两点源反向交叉眼干扰模型，推导了交叉眼干扰欺骗角一般性公式，研究了干扰机发射天线间距、干扰平台旋转角和干扰机相对雷达之间距离等参数变化对角度欺骗效果的影响，并依据单脉冲雷达接收机获取角度的信息处理流程，建立了单脉冲雷达接收机仿真模型，对交叉眼数学模型的正确性和局限性进行了分析。研究结果表明：单脉冲雷达越靠近两点源交叉眼干扰机中心线、干扰机两发射天线间距越大、与干扰机距离越近时，角度欺骗效果越好；单脉冲雷达的欺骗角度随着与干扰机距离的接近呈指数式增大；数学模型和仿真模型计算的单脉冲雷达角度误差最大值随干扰机天线与雷达天线中心连线的夹角的增大呈指数化增长。研究可为交叉眼干扰工程设计作参考。     

Detection of Target Multiplicity Using Monopulse Quadrature Angle

The feasibility of using the indicated quadrature angle of arrival of a monopulse radar to discriminate a single target from multiple targets, separated in angle within a radar resolution cell, is investigated. The analysis is performed for steady (fixed) and Rayleigh fluctuating targets which cover a broad range of target characteristics. In both cases, the interfering signals due to noise and clutter in the sum and difference monopulse channels are assumed to be independent, zero-mean Gaussian processes. Detection and false alarm probabilities are evaluated analytically and the receiver operating characteristics are obtained for both fixed and fluctuating target cases. It is shown that multiple targets can be discriminated from a single target condition by integrating the indicated monopulse quadrature angle of arrival from several independent pulses. It is also shown that the probability of detecting multiple targets increases as the fluctuation in the target radar cross section decreases, approaching the fixed amplitude case in the limit.     

一种基于雷达波束驻留模式的空间碎片轨道参数估计方法

利用窄波束的单脉冲精密跟踪雷达波束驻留模式进行碎片探测是空间碎片环境统计特征描述的一种重要途径。由于该模式观测弧段极短,且无法获取同一目标的多个弧段,因而利用常规定轨方法难以达到理想的效果。在圆轨道假设下,提出了一种利用波束驻留模式获取的单个极短弧计算碎片轨道高度和倾角的方法。首先利用碎片的距离确定其轨道高度;在此基础上,根据推导出的不同波束指向时碎片的距离变化率与轨道倾角的关系,得出其轨道倾角。该方法对于正南、正东指向的雷达波束驻留模式均适用,其中正南指向时还需利用方位角和仰角数据来区分轨道倾角与补角;但不适用于波束指向天顶的情况。仿真结果验证了方法的有效性。     

Self-calibrating SSR monopulse receiver

An extension of the monopulse technique for estimating the target azimuth in a secondary surveillance radar (SSR) is considered. The idea is to associate in pairs monopulse measurements coming from the amplitude processor (AP) at the dwell time processing level. This allows the automatic compensation of the bias errors due to the misalignments in the receiver channels, thus eliminating the necessity for periodic system calibration. This dual-pulse technique also allows for the practical use of the dot product receiver as a modification of the AP receiver. This, in turn, implies that the variance of each dual-pulse estimate is uniformly maintained at the monopulse maximum-likelihood level over the whole off-boresight angle (OBA) range     

单脉冲成像算法性能分析

单脉冲技术通过比较单个脉冲多路回波信号的信息实现对目标角度位置的精确测量,广泛运用于跟踪雷达中。在雷达成像中引入单脉冲技术可以显著提高前视这一合成孔径雷达(SAR)与多普勒波束锐化(DBS)成像盲区雷达图像的清晰度。本文着重对单脉冲成像算法的成像效果分析方法进行研究。从单脉冲和差比的概率密度函数出发,提出了目标图像位置失真、分辨率以及图像信噪比3个对图像质量进行衡量的指标。分析了决定这3个指标的系统及外部环境参数,并给出了相应的计算方法。最终通过数值积分以及Monte-Carlo仿真实验对理论分析结果进行了验证。     

Monopulse Estimation of the Centroid of an Ensemble of Radar Scatterers

The use of data obtained by a monopulse radar to estimate the location of the radar cross-section centroid of an ensemble of scatterers is discussed. Both dish and phased-array antenna radars are treated. Expressions for the bias and variance of the centroid estimates are presented, including the effects of the radar receiver and beam pattern characteristics, receiver noise, and the video waveform sampling granularity, as well as the target properties. The monopulse tracking approach discussed here is contrasted with a raster scan approach presented previously.     

Bias compensation and tracking with monopulse radars in the presence of multi path

The problem of tracking targets in the presence of reflections from sea or ground is addressed. Both types of reflections (specular and diffuse) are considered. Specular reflection causes large peak errors followed by an approximately constant bias in the monopulse ratio, while diffuse reflection has random variations which on the average generate a bias in the monopulse ratio. Expressions for the average error (bias) in the monopulse ratio due to specular and diffuse reflections and the corresponding variance in the presence of noise in the radar channels are derived. A maximum maneuver-based filter and a multiple model estimator are used for tracking. Simulation results for five scenarios, typical of sea skimmers, with Swerling III fluctuating radar cross sections (RCSs) indicate the significance and efficiency of the technique developed in this paper-a 65% reduction of the rms error in the target height estimate.