Design of a space-based radar signal processor

Space-based radar (SBR) is capable of providing flexible wide-area coverage of air, land, and sea targets. Numerous studies have been carried out in the United States and Canada in recent years to investigate different concepts for SBR. The design of a suitable radar signal processor (RSP) is challenging due to the effects caused by the moving platform on target integration and clutter spectral spread. A candidate RSP is described that uses a corporate fed array (CFA) antenna as its primary radar sensor. The algorithmic definitions of the signal processing functions are provided; the relationships between these functions and the reasons for their location in the signal processing chain are also discussed. In addition, techniques for reducing the computational requirements are also presented     

用射线法研究进气道的电磁散射特性

发动机进气道是飞行器的一个强散射源。本文采用射线跟踪法研究了任意截面形状,不同管道的电磁散射特性。用这种方法计算了一个角反射器雷达截面和一个实际使用的进气道的雷达散射截面,测量结果和计算结果的一致性表明,该方法是有效的。     

Near-Field Analysis of Helicopter Rotating Blades Modulation Interference

A near-field analysis is carried out to obtain the level of modulation interference due to rotating blades in a helicopter-borne pulse Doppler radar system. The interference power spectra are calculated for different values of antenna depression angle and helicopter (radar) speed at a constant helicopter altitude of 300 m. Numerical results for the case of 1 kW radiated power show that blade interference level is about 5 to 8 dBW/Hz less than that of the direct ground clutter in the clutter region. It extends, however, into the clutter-free region which may cause false alarms and degradation of the radar performance.     

Power beaming providing a space power infrastructure

A study based on two levels of technology maturity, which applies to the power beaming concept to four planned satellite constellations, is described. The analysis shows that with currently available technology, power beaming can provide mass savings to constellations to orbits ranging from low-Earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit. Two constellations, a space surveillance and tracking system and space-based radar, can be supported with current technology. The other two constellations, a space-based laser array and a boost surveillance and tracking system, will require power and transmission system improvements before their break-even specific mass is achieved. A doubling of SP-100 conversion efficiency from 10 to 20% would meet or exceed break-even for these constellations     

The Impact of Strong Scintillation on Space Based Radar Design II: Noncoherent Detection

Electromagnetic signals that propagate through strongly disturbed regions of the ionosphere can experience scattering which can cause significant amplitude, phase, and angle-of-arrival fluctuations. This paper considers the performance of a space based radar (SBR) that must operate through a highly disturbed propagation environment such as might occur during a barium release or after a high altitude nuclear detonation. A brief summary of the propagation channel characteristics is given in terms of quantities that are important to SBR design issues. Results are then given showing the effect of noncoherent integration on target detection performance. Both coherent and noncoherent detection performance can be seriously degraded by scintillation if scintillation is not adequately considered in the radar design.     

Quantization and Saturation Noise Due to Analog-to-Digital Conversion of Radar Returns from Targets with Log-Normal Radar Cross-Section Distributions

An analysis of the saturation and quantization noise generated by analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion of radar returns from targets with log-normal radar cross sections is presented. The results of the analysis show that the high-cross-section tails of the log-normal distribution require higher saturation levels to be set in the A/D converter. The setting of the higher saturation level in the converter results in an increase in quantization noise. Thus the minimum achievable distortion in the output of the A/D converter signal is considerably higher than that for radar targets if their radar cross section had an exponential power distribution.     

The Impact of Strong Scintillation on Space Based Radar Design I: Coherent Detection

Electromagnetic signals which propagate through strongly disturbed regions of the ionosphere can experience angular scattering, causing appreciable amplitude and phase scintillation and angle-of-arrival fluctuations. The performance of a space based radar (SBR) subject to degradation due to signal propagation through a highly disturbed ionospheric channel is considered here. Pertinent characteristics of the disturbed channel and the received radar signal are described. The effects of the propagation path are investigated and the differences between monostatic and bistatic operation are presented. Results are presented which show the effect of severe scintillation on the coherent target detection performance of an SBR. It is shown that coherent detection performance can be seriously degraded in a scintillation environment if scintillation effects are not considered in the radar design.     

A novel target detection approach based on adaptive radar waveform design

To resolve problems of complicated clutter, fast-varying scenes, and low signal-clutterratio (SCR) in application of target detection on sea for space-based radar (SBR), a target detection approach based on adaptive waveform design is proposed in this paper. Firstly, complicated sea clutter is modeled as compound Gaussian process, and a target is modeled as some scatterers with Gaussian reflectivity. Secondly, every dwell duration of radar is divided into several sub-dwells. Regular linear frequency modulated pulses are transmitted at Sub-dwell 1, and the received signal at this sub-dwell is used to estimate clutter covariance matrices and pre-detection. Estimated matrices are updated at every following sub-dwell by multiple particle filtering to cope with fast-varying clutter scenes of SBR. Furthermore, waveform of every following sub-dwell is designed adaptively according to mean square optimization technique. Finally, principal component analysis and generalized likelihood ratio test is used for mitigation of colored interference and property of constant false alarm rate, respectively. Simulation results show that, considering configuration of SBR and condition of complicated clutter, 9 dB is reduced for SCR which reliable detection requires by this target detection approach. Therefore, the work in this paper can markedly improve radar detection performance for weak targets.     

WARLOC: A High-Power Coherent 94 GHz Radar

This paper describes the development of a high-power, coherent radar system at W-band and discusses potential applications of radars with this new capability. Previous radars in this frequency band were limited by available power-amplifier technology to about 500 W of average power; WARLOC radar represents an increase in power, by 20 times, over previous coherent radars at 94 GHz. This performance improvement is possible due to the development of a gyroklystron amplifier specifically for this and future radars in this frequency band. The gyroklystron amplifier tubes deliver 100 kW peak power and 10 kW of average power at a center frequency of approximately 94 GHz. Other novel features of this radar include the use of highly overmoded waveguides and rotary joints for the transmission of power from the final power amplifier (FPA) to the antenna, and a high-power quasi-optical duplexer. The system uses a relatively large 1.8 m diameter (580-wavelength) Cassegrain antenna, which required the development of an antenna with an rms surface accuracy of 0.0025 in, to obtain long-range detection and identification of small objects. Test data show an antenna gain of 62.5 dB, confirming that the needed surface accuracy was achieved. Two mobile shelters house the radar system, permitting relocation to various test sites. WARLOC is presently operational at the Naval Research Laboratory's Chesapeake Bay Detachment facility, Maryland. It is being employed in radar imaging of airborne and surface objects, and in the scientific study of propagation effects and atmospheric physics phenomena.     

Electrical power on a 30 kW space-based radar satellite

An electrical power system for a space-based radar satellite is described. When the radar is on, its transmitter needs an average DC power of 30 kW. The problem of distributing the power efficiently in pulses to many transmit/receive modules is addressed. System requirements include a high-voltage battery and transmission line, load-sharing between the solar array, and the battery during sunlit periods, and a 25-kW solar array. A scaled-down version of the power system for a proof-of-concept demonstration is described     

Effect of earth?s rotation and range foldover on space-based radar performance

Space-based radar (SBR) by virtue of its motion generates a Doppler frequency component to the clutter return from any point on the Earth as a function of the SBR-Earth geometry. The effect of the rotation of the Earth around its own axis also adds an additional component to this Doppler frequency. The overall effect of the rotation of the Earth on the Doppler turns out to be two correction factors in terms of a crab angle affecting the azimuth angle, and a crab magnitude scaling the Doppler magnitude of the clutter patch. Interestingly, both these quantities depend only on the SBR orbit inclination and its latitude and not on the location of the clutter patch of interest. Further, the crab angle has maximum effect for an SBR on a polar orbit that is above the equator. The crab magnitude, on the other hand, peaks for an SBR on an equatorial orbit. Together with the range foldover phenomenon, their overall effect is to generate Doppler spread/splitting resulting in wider clutter notches that degrade the clutter nulling performance of adaptive processing techniques. A detailed performance analysis and methods to minimize these effects are discussed here     

A Domestic Satellite Design

This paper deals with the design parameters of a communications satellite which would be capable of providing domestic telephony, data, and television distribution services. Certain important aspects of the design are discussed, including satellite antenna beam coverage, transponder bandwidth, and transponder radiated power for a given weight range. A baseline satellite design is then presented which has 24 transponders (with 4000 watts radiated power on-axis and 34-MHz radio-frequency bandwidth) fully accessible from the 48 contiguous United States. The design uses crossed linear polarization to reuse the satellite transmit and receive frequency spectrum.     

Noise-correlating radar based on retrodirective antennas

A new retrodirective antenna-based search radar system has been introduced. The suggested system uses a noise correlation technique to detect the presence and the direction of the target. Simulation and analytical results show an order of magnitude improvement in acquisition time of the radar when compared with a phased array antenna-based radar system with the same specifications, except transmit power. To the best knowledge of the authors, no radar of a comparable acquisition time has been designed to this date. Power versus acquisition time tradeoff has been compared with a phased array radar for evaluating performance of the system. The radar is self-tracking due to retrodirectivity of the antenna array, and is much easier to implement, as it does not require any phase shifters etc.     

Second time around radar return suppression using PRI modulation

A technique for suppressing second-time-around radar returns using pulse-repetition interval (PRI) modulation is presented and analyzed. It is shown that a staggered PRI radar system can offer considerable improvement over a nonstaggered radar system in rejecting second-time-around returns which cause false alarms. This improvement is a function of detector implementation (noncoherent integrator or binary integrator), the number of staggered PRIs, the quiescent false alarm number, the Swerling number of the false return, the transmitted signal power, the second-time-around noise power, and the quiescent noise power of the radar. Small changes in transmitted signal power can be traded off with the quiescent false alarm number to suppress the bogus return significantly. In addition, for a noncoherent integrator, all other parameters being equal, if the second-time-around return is a Swerling case II or IV target, then there is an optimum number of staggered PRIs that can be chosen to minimize the likelihood of its detection. It is also shown that the binary integrator significantly reduces the number of second-time-around return detections when compared with the noncoherent integrator. However, there is an accompanying loss of detection     

Radio Interference in Helicopter-Borne Pulse Doppler Radars

Radio interference generated in a helicopter-borne pulse Doppler radar system due to rotating blades is analyzed for the case that blades are located in the far field region of the radar antenna. A first-order estimate of the blade interference power spectrum is obtained as a function of antenna depression angle and radar (helicopter) altitude and speed. Numerical calculations show that blade interference is very weak compared with the direct ground clutter. It extends, however, into the clutter-free region which causes false alarms and degrades the radar performance.     

新型通用进气道类复杂腔体结构电磁散射计算方法

 利用Unigraphics（UG）内部基于非均匀有理B样条（NURBS）的建模技术,采用UG二次开发,实现了在任意腔体中射线路径准确追踪,寻迹效率较高。提出一种射线追踪的新方法,解决了传统弹跳射线法（SBR）确定射线路径困难、精度不高和效率较低的问题。在此新方法基础之上开发了可以计算任意形状进气道类复杂电大腔体及角形结构雷达散射截面（RCS）的计算软件,实现了腔体建模与RCS计算的无缝集成,不用对腔体进行网格剖分,计算精度和效率都较高,使用方便,通用性好,具有较高的工程应用价值。使用该软件计算了圆形直腔、二面角和S形进气道的RCS,结果与其他方法吻合良好,具有比较好的计算精度。     

基于OTR和SHT的射频隐身雷达信号设计

为了提高雷达的射频(RF)隐身性能,结合最优匹配照射-接收机(OTR)理论与序贯假设检验(SHT)方法,提出了一种新的射频隐身雷达信号设计方法。通过发射信号了解外界环境信息,然后反馈这些信息给雷达系统,系统根据这些信息自适应设计雷达发射信号,形成一个闭环系统。以雷达目标识别为具体应用,实验仿真表明,设计的雷达信号自适应变化,减小了信号间的相关性,并且减少了照射次数,降低了辐射功率,从而实现了雷达系统的射频隐身性能。     

Theory of Adaptive Radar

This paper reviews the principles of adaptive radar in which both the spatial (antenna pattern) and temporal (Doppler filter) responses of the system are controlled adaptively. An adaptive system senses the angular-Doppler distribution of the external noise field and adjusts a set of radar parameters for maximum signal-to-interference ratio and optimum detection performance. A gradient technique for control of the radar array/filter weights is described and shown to generate weights which asymptotically approach optimum values. Simulation results illustrate the convergence rate of adaptive systems and the performance improvement which can be achieved.     

毫米波无人直升机避障雷达系统研究

由电力线所引起的无人直升机事故频频发生,因而确保无人机飞行安全一个很重要的方面就是对电力线的检测。文章采用毫米波宽带线性调频技术实现了对高压线小目标的探测分辨,研制了毫米波无人直升机避障雷达系统,解决了无人机低空巡线飞行的安全问题。通过实际挂飞试验说明,该系统可靠有效,满足装备要求。     

Radar Noise Jamming Calculations Simplified

The ratio of radar jamming noise power to radar thermal noise power (J/N) is examined in a multiple noise jammer environment where jammer distances and energy levels vary. A simpler form of the computation of J/N is shown for several practical multiple noise jammer configurations.