The present and the future of random signal radars

The 30+ year development of random signal radar (RSR) is described in this paper. Conventional methods of implementing RSRs are summarized: correlation, spectrum analysis, and anti-correlation. Some typical RSR systems are introduced; for example: noise frequency modulation continuous wave radar; and random binary phase-coded continuous wave radar, and their merits and demerits are also pointed out. Finally, the development trends of RSR is analyzed     

Weight effects on the periodic ambiguity function

CW radar signals and processors are discussed. The use of the periodic ambiguity function (PAF) to analyze the delay-Doppler performance of CW signals and their corresponding correlation receivers, is extended to include weight function effects. This work provides tools which can predict the delay-Doppler response of almost any phase-coded CW radar. Examples demonstrate that a combination of CW signals having perfect periodic autocorrelation, a matched reference signal with a large number of modulation periods and a smooth weight function, can create a delay-Doppler response with extremely low sidelobes, strongly resembling the response of a coherent pulse train     

ECCM capabilities of an ultrawideband bandlimited random noise imaging radar

Investigated here is high-resolution imaging of targets in noisy or unfriendly radar environments through a simulation analysis of the ultrawideband (UWB) continuous-wave (CW) bandlimited random noise waveform. The linear FM chirp signal was selected as a benchmark radar waveform for comparison purposes. Simulation of the recovery of various types of target reflectivity functions (TRFs) for these waveforms were performed and analyzed. In addition, electronic counter-countermeasure (ECCM) capabilities for both types of systems were investigated. The results are compared using the error between the interference (jamming)-free recovered TRF and the recovered TRF under noisy conditions as a function of the signal-to-interference/jamming ratio (SIR/SJR). Our analysis shows that noise waveforms possess better jamming immunity (of the order of 5-10 dB improvement over the linear FM chirp) due to the unique radar correlation processing in the receiver.     

FM/AM Noise Test Set for a Pulsed Doppler Radar

A new test method to measure the amplitude noise and phase noise in both CW and pulsed CW signals of a Ku-band pulsed Doppler radar is described. These noises are measured in a simulated environment of radar operation; thus the test results may give direct information to determine radar subclutter visibility. In comparison with the conventional noise test method, this new method not only gives more meaningful results but also can obtain results much faster in testing. Actual test system design is described by block diagrams and theoretical analysis. A method to determine approximate frequency jitter in a transmitter signal is also described.     

调频连续波毫米波雷达信号处理软件分析

雷达在其发展前期,连续波雷达由于收发隔离等问题不易解决,应用受限制。但是随着技术的发展,这些问题得到改善,连续波雷达越来越受到人们的关注。文章针对现有调频连续波雷达平台,通过分析研究雷达平台,介绍信号处理软件的设计思路与系统结构,设计与开发了信号处理软件。在此基础上,对雷达功能设计实现进行分析,对软件各模式功能进行实验测试,验证了其功能实现及测量精度,并进一步研究调频连续波雷达毫米波雷达用于导弹近程制导的可行性,介绍了调频连续波毫米波雷达的性能,指出其用于末端制导的缺陷并给出改善方法。     

Rotating Blades Radio Interference in a Helicopter-Borne CW Doppler Radar

Radio interference generated in a helicopter-borne continuous wave (CW) Doppler radar system due to the rotating blades is analyzed. This problem has been previously treated for the case of pulse Doppler radar systems with very narrow (near zero) beamwidth. In this case the strong interference component returning directly from the blades (with no ground reflection) need not be considered as it reaches the receiver when it is still blinded. In the case of a CW Doppler radar, however, this interference component must be included. Numerical calculations show that the total blade interference power level, dominated by the direct component, is higher than that of the direct ground clutter in the radar clutter region. It decreases approximately as (f - fo)-4 in the radar clear region. It stays, however, well above the thermal noise level which might cause false alarm and degrade the radar performance.     

An Experimental Radar Facility

A coherent CW superheterodyne radar system operating at frequencies of 9, 17, 35, and 70 GHz is described. The radars are installed on a free-flight range to study backscattering from wakes of hypersonic-velocity projectiles. Each radar is equipped with a focused-lens antenna oriented at an angle of approximately 45° to the flight axis. Amplitude and phase of the received signal are recorded separately. Some typical results are given to demonstrate the capabilities of the equipment.     

Two-valued frequency-coded waveforms with favorable periodic autocorrelation

There are known phase-coded (two-valued or polyphase) CW radar signals that exhibit perfect periodic autocorrelation function (PACF). A PACF is perfect when all its out-of-phase autocorrelation values are identically equal to zero. This paper investigates periodic, two-valued, frequency-coded signals. While none could be found with perfect PACF, we present examples with nearly perfect PACF. Their relationship to binary phase-coded signals is also considered. These signals should be attractive for CW radars because of their simple implementation, clean spectrum, and the favorable range response of their matched receiver.     

Ultra-wideband technology and random signal radar: an ideal combination

Ultra-wideband radar and random signal radar are two types of newly-developed radar systems. This paper introduces the special advantages of the combination of ultra-wideband technology and random signal radar to the international radar community. It shows that these two radar systems have a very close relationship in nature and can gain significant benefits from each other. It can be anticipated that the random signal modulated waveform will open many potential possibilities for the applications of ultra-wideband radar systems to civilian operating environments.     

Millimeter Radar Instrumentation

Millimeter wavelength radars are used to study plasma effects associated with ionized flow fields of projectiles launched at hypersonic speeds into a free-flight ballistic range. Two CW Doppler radars, at frequencies of 35 and 70 Gc/s, measure the nose-on backscattering radar cross sections during flight. The design and performance of the two radars are described in detail. A signal simulator provides absolute calibration. The purpose is to measure changes that occur in the radar cross sections of hypersonic projectiles caused by highly ionized flow fields. Under certain conditions the nose-on backscattering radar cross section of a blunt-nosed metal projectile decreases drastically when a thin, shock-produced layer of ionized gas covers the projectile. A theoretical analysis of this effect is given. Comparisons between theoretical predictions and experimental data show good correlation.     

Two Methods of Ambiguity Resolution in Pulse Doppler Weather Radars

A comparison is made of the performance of a weather Doppler radar with a staggered pulse repetition time and a radar with a random (but known) phase. As a standard for this comparison, the specifications of the forthcoming next generation weather radar (NEXRAD) are used. A statistical analysis of the spectral moment estimates for the staggered scheme is developed, and a theoretical expression for the signal-to-noise ratio due to recohering-filtering-recohering for the random phase radar is obtained. Algorithms for assignment of correct ranges to pertinent spectral moments for both techniques are presented.     

Analysis and Design of Antennas for Air Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems

The analysis and design procedure of an antenna for a CW Doppler radar system being developed for pilot warning of midair collision hazards is presented. The antenna consists of two vertical arrays of half-wavelength dipoles mounted near a circular conducting cylinder. Each vertical array is composed of three vertical dipoles. Each array provides relatively uniform illumination (2-3 dB) in the forward 180 angular segment of the horizontal plane and approximately + 10-150 coverage in the vertical plane. The antenna could be used in a two-mode operation, either in a standard monopulse radar system (sum and difference amplitude patterns) or in a system where amplitude and phase are the measurable quantities.     

3R定位系统在最佳目标-雷达站几何下的误差传播特性

求解3R定位系统的最佳目标一雷达站几何是CW雷达定位体制研究中的关键问题之一。这种最佳几何是3个雷达天线位于正三角形的顶点,3个天线波束在空间正交。给出了利用最优化方法求解这种最佳几何的目标函数,并给出了3R定位体制的普适性误差椭球的二次曲面方程。研究结果表明,在上述最佳目标一雷达站几何下,椭球形误差二次曲面变为圆球形误差二次曲面。     

Radar sensor using low probability of interception SS-FH signals

One of the best known weakness of radar sensors in defense and security applications is the necessity to radiate a signal, which can be detected by the target, so being possible (easy in fact) that the target is alerted about the presence of a radar before the radar is alerted about the presence of a target. In this context, Low Probability of Interception (LPI) Radars try to use signals that are difficult to intercept and/or identify. Spread spectrum signals are strong candidates for this application, and systems using special frequency or polyphase modulation schemes are being exploited. Frequency hopping, however, has not received much attention. The typical LPI radar at this moment of the technology is a CW-LFM radar. The simplicity of the technology is its best point. Polyphase codes, on the other hand have the inherent advantage of high instantaneous bandwidth regardless of observation time. But the complexity of the hardware is also higher. FH signals have traditionally been considered of lower performance but higher complexity, due to the difficulties to compensate the individual dopplers for the individual range cells in the receiver. One important point is that an FH radar must be clearly distinguished from an agile frequency radar. In the latter, a pulsed signal is transmitted using different frequencies from pulse to pulse. In an FH radar the frequency changes must be during the pulse. In fact, in an LPI FH radar, a CW frequency hopped signal is used. A radar system concept is proposed in which it shows how these problems can be overcome in a tracking application. Also, the signal format is analyzed under the scope of future decade digital interceptors, showing that, in fact, this kind of signal exhibits improvement in some performances and requires a hardware that is only slightly more complex than that needed for CW-LFM systems     

基于稀疏随机阵列配置的CS-MIMO雷达感知矩阵构造

压缩感知(CS)理论中的感知矩阵在观测数据获取和信号重建过程中起关键性作用。目前,大部分研究通过引入高斯随机矩阵作为测量矩阵实现压缩观测,这类测量矩阵对硬件要求很高,工程实现困难。提出了一种基于稀疏随机阵列配置的压缩感知-多输入多输出(CS-MIMO)雷达中的感知矩阵构造方法,当MIMO雷达阵元配置为满足某种概率分布的稀疏随机阵列时,发射与接收导引矢量的Kronecker积能够起到压缩测量的作用。从理论上分析了所构造的感知矩阵的归一化互相关系数、Gram矩阵以及阵列方向图之间的内在联系,并证明了当随机阵元位置满足均匀分布时所构造的感知矩阵满足压缩感知重构条件。在这种稀疏随机阵列配置方式下,既可以避免额外引入随机测量矩阵,又能减少所需的阵元个数,从而大大降低CS-MIMO雷达系统复杂度。仿真实验表明,该方法具有较低的感知矩阵归一化互相关系数,与满阵CS-MIMO雷达相比能够在减少阵元个数的同时获得良好的重构性能,且使重构所需运算量大大降低。     

Correspondence - Optimum Radar Signal for Detection in Clutter

It is shown that in order to maximize the detectability of a radar target in clutter whose Doppler is unknown and is uniformly distributed over the Doppler bandwidth a simple CW or narrowband signal is optimal. The optimality criterion is the average deflection coefficient, with the averaging being over target Doppler frequency. Most remarkably the result does not depend on the clutter spectrum but holds for any distribution of clutter energy with frequency.     

Random signal radar - a winner in both the military and civilian operating environments

Besides some general requirements, modern military radars should possess excellent LPI (low probability of intercept) properties. And civilian radars should satisfy the rigorous requirement of EMC (electro-magnetic compatibility) performance. The special features of random signal radar are analyzed here based on the different requirements for military and civilian use. Results show that random signal radar has excellent LPI property and EMC performance simultaneously, which can satisfy both military and civilian requirements.     

High-Sensitivity Fast-Response Laser Detection Systems

Electrooptical systems exist which can make use of the available bandwidth and directivity at optical frequencies without utilizing the coherence aspects of lasers. Development of a sensitive, very highspeed (microwave response) photoelectric detector which can function as a high-gain microwave amplifier and mixer is described. Sysyems are described for radar, communications, and reconnaissance purposes. Basic noise considerations are shown. CW and FM-CW optical range and range rate tracking systems are described in which the required detection bandwidth is not a direct function of the range resolution, allowing highly accurate range and range rate determination at low signal levels. Communication systems utilizing noncoherent carriers, microwave subcarriers, and the dynamic crossed field electron multiplier as the detector-amplifier-mixer are described.     

Analysis of foliage-induced synthetic pattern distortions

Phase and amplitude fluctuations induced by wave propagation through foliage limit the ability of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system to image a target under foliage. One-way measurements of these fluctuations were done at C-, L-, UHF band during the July 1990 Foliage Penetration Experiment using single frequency CW signal sources and the NASA/JPL SAR receiver. The phase and amplitude data are coherently integrated to create the synthetic azimuthal patterns that would result when attempting to image a point target obscured by foliage. The effect of synthetic aperture length frequency, and polarization on the attenuation and azimuthal response of foliage obscured targets is investigated