A Generalized Clutter Computation Procedure for Airborne Pulse Doppler Radars

A general procedure for analyzing ground clutter effects in airborne pulse Doppler radars is described. The quantity computed is the expected clutter power at the output of any specified range gate/ Doppler filter processing cell. The procedure has been computerized and is quite general with respect to antenna gain pattern, clutter cross section variation, PRF, pulse and range gate shapes, and the various receiver processing functions. It is applicable only to distributed ground clutter and linear processing, and excludes the dynamic effects of continuous antenna scanning. To exemplify the use of the procedure, two studies conducted for a postulated high PRF radar are described, and the results are presented.     

Medium PRF Performance Analysis

A discussion of various types of x-band airborne radars is presented together with their systematic development through the years to the present time. Starting with simple, low pulse-repetition frequency (PRF) radars for measuring radar-target range, airborne radar development proceeded with more sophisticated high PRF Doppler radars where radar-target range and range rate were measured simultaneously. The use of Doppler (frequency) in signal processing allowed the separation of moving from nonmoving targets (ground), enabling the detection of moving targets in the presence of ground clutter. More recent developments in waveform generation and selection has resulted in the development of medium PRF radars, whereby a greater degree of tactical flexibility in target detection is achieved by combining the desirable features of both low and high PRF radars. Part of the available literature gives an overview, together with a specific example of the design and performance of an airborne medium PRF radar. Here, however, the systematic evolution of these radars is emphasized and the necessary theoretical background is developed for their performance calculations. Modern day airborne radars may be equipped with all three modes of operation, low, medium, and high PRF, allowing the operator to utilize the mode best suited for the tactical encounter. Low PRF and high PRF radars have been described elsewhere and are given here primarily for the sake of completeness and for the necessary background for developing medium PRF radar equations. They are also needed for developing the reasons why medium PRF radars came into being.     

A Systematic Approach to Blind-Speed Elimination

In radars that achieve a high subclutter visibility by coherent processing over several pulses, a serious problem appears in the form of blind Dopplers, or ?speeds,? at which target detection is impossible. Of the possible methods of eliminating these blind speeds, the most basic one that is employed when the performance requirements are high involves the use of several PRF's. These PRF's are chosen so that coverage is obtained at any Doppler with at least one PRF. The problem faced by the radar designer is to select the set of PRF's and the pulse numbers for each PRF so that the search frame time is minimized. This paper evolves a systematic method for the design of the blind-speed elimination scheme. A formalized approach is offered that shows the possible combinations of wavelength, PRF, and pulse number and the tradeoffs involved, without introducing the confusion ordinarily associated with multiparameter choices.     

Medium PRF set selection using evolutionary algorithms

This paper presents a new and novel method of selecting multiple pulse repetition frequency (PRF) sets for use in medium PRF pulsed-Doppler radars. Evolutionary algorithms are used to minimise the blind areas in the range/Doppler space. The evolutionary algorithm allows optimal solutions to be generated quickly, far faster than with exhaustive searches, and is fully automatic, unlike existing techniques. The evolved solutions compare very favorably against the results of both an exhaustive search and existing published PRF set selection methods. This evolutionary approach to generation of PRF sets is a major advance in medium PRF radar design.     

The Effect of Staggered PRF's on MTI Signal Detection

Long-range surveillance radars use MTI techniques to detect moving targets in a clutter background. The transmitter PRF is usually staggered to eliminate the blind speeds due to aliasing of the target and clutter spectra. A spectral analysis of the target and clutter signals is performed for the case of nonuniform sampling, and it is shown that the clutter spectral density continues to fold over at the basic PRF, but the signal spectrum becomes dispersed in frequency, which means that an MTI rader will never be completely blind to moving targets.     

Pulse Repetition Frequency Discriminator with Complete Harmonic Suppression

A method for selective pulse-train discrimination based on pulse repetition frequency (PRF) is presented. The technique permits acceptance of a pulse train with a desired PRF while rejecting all others, including those with pulse rates harmonically related to the desired one.     

Probablity of Detection for ICW Radars

Eclipsing of received signals is analyzed for Interrupted Continuous Wave (ICW) radars. A probability density for the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) at the Doppler filter output is derived which incorporates eclipsing effects and a fluctuating target cross section model. The probability of detection as a function of SNR is calculated for typical ICW parameters and the magnitude of the detection loss due to eclipsing is assessed     

脉冲雷达凝视模式下低轨碎片相对运动特征分析

脉冲雷达凝视模式是一种探测低轨小碎片的重要方式,其中低轨碎片与雷达的径向运动关系是碎片统计分析的基础.为推算碎片相对雷达的运动特征,基于坐标系的相互转换,先利用雷达测站信息,得到可见碎片在地惯坐标系下的轨道信息;再逆向将目标不同时刻的位置转换至测站坐标系下,得到目标的径向运动特征.在不同要素（雷达波束指向、雷达仰角、测站纬度、目标距离）下,仿真及对比分析了各个参数对速度模糊度、雷达可见性等的影响,得出在凝视模式下目标相对雷达近似做径向匀加速运动,这为后续试验工作提供有力的依据.     

Probability of Pulse Coincidence in a Multiple Radar Environment

Elementary probability theory is used to develop three formulas for the probability of two or more pulses being coincident at an observer's aircraft position in a multiple radar environment. The first formula is for nonscanning tracking type radars with different pulsewidths (PWs) and pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs), the second is for generically identical nonscanning radars with similar PWs and PRFs, and the third is for scanning type radars such as air search radars with similar PWs and PRFs. The probability of coincidence is related to the mean-time-between-coincidences (MTBC) and to the average coincidence rate. Two sample problems are given.     

基于PD处理技术的雷达弱信号检测方法

针对脉冲跟踪测量雷达普遍存在的远距离弱信号检测能力不足的问题,基于PD（PulseDoppler,脉冲多普勒）雷达的杂波抑制与信号处理技术,提出脉冲雷达中的弱信号检测方法;详细分析了在脉冲跟踪测量雷达中应用PD处理技术的可行性,得出在一定约束条件下,可将PD处理技术运用于脉冲跟踪测量雷达,并提出了具体实现方法;最后,通过数据仿真和脉冲雷达实际测量数据进行验证,结果表明该方法能有效提高信噪比。     

一种提高脉冲雷达多普勒相位精度的方法

针对低信噪比条件下脉冲雷达模糊多普勒相位精度较低,可能导致相位测距时不能正确解相位模糊问题,基于EMD（Empirical Mode Decomposition,经验模式分解）区间阈值去噪方法,提出了一种新的提高多普勒相位精度的方法：利用EMD分解后各层信号的频率特性和能量特性,选取合适的阈值,并对各层信号进行区间阈值化处理,在提高信号信噪比的同时保持了信号的连续性.分别在回波信号噪声为高斯白噪声和AR（2）相关噪声的情况下,以及不同信噪比条件下,对该方法进行验证.仿真结果表明：在低信噪比条件下,当回波信号噪声为白噪声和相关噪声时,EMD区间阈值去噪方法能将回波信号信噪比提高5 dB,去噪性能优于小波阈值去噪方法,其对应多普勒相位精度能提高1倍以上.     

Radar power multiplier for acquisition of low observables using anESA radar

In this paper the acquisition of a low observable (LO) incoming tactical ballistic missile using the measurements from a surface based electronically scanned array (ESA) radar is presented. We present a batch maximum likelihood (ML) estimator to acquire the missile while it is exo-atmospheric. The proposed estimator, which combines ML estimation with the probabilistic data association (PDA) approach resulting in the ML-PDA algorithm to handle false alarms, also uses target features. The use of features facilitates target acquisition under low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions. Typically, ESA radars operate at 13-20 dB, whereas the new estimator is shown to be effective even at 4 dB SNR (in a resolution cell, at the end of the signal processing chain) for a Swerling III fluctuating target, which represents a significant counter-stealth capability. That is, this algorithm acts as an effective “power multiplier” for the radar by about an order of magnitude. An approximate Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB), quantifying the attainable estimation accuracies and shown to be met by the proposed estimator, is derived as well     

Properties of Staggered PRF Radar Spectral Components

Expressions for moving target indicator (MTI) improvement factor limitation due to pulse repetition frequency (PRF) staggering and loss of target detectability for various values of Doppler frequency in the passband are presented. It is also shown that the product of variance of stagger periods and clutter variance is an important parameter determining the performance of a staggered PRF MTI radar.     

高信噪比、高分辨宽测绘带成像

针对传统高分辨和宽测绘带以及高信噪比和宽测绘带之间的矛盾,提出一种基于脉内扫描面阵合成孔径雷达(SAR)系统的二维空域联合处理算法实现高信噪比、高分辨宽测绘带成像。文中首先建立脉内扫描面阵SAR系统模型,该系统采用低脉冲重复频率(PRF)获得宽测绘带信息,同时利用脉内扫描方式获得高信噪比的回波信号。对于低PRF采样宽多普勒谱(对应方位高分辨)引起的多普勒模糊以及脉内扫描引起的距离模糊,提出一种二维空域联合处理算法解距离和多普勒模糊,并且详细地分析了地形高度变化对解模糊算法的影响。最后,通过仿真实验验证了本文算法的有效性。     

基于混合体制雷达网的弹道目标微特征及外形参数提取

针对弹道中段目标微特征难以识别与分辨的问题,提出了一种基于低分辨雷达和高分辨雷达相结合的混合体制雷达网的有翼弹道目标微特征及外形参数提取方法。依据非线性信号参量可分离模型,利用非线性最小二乘估计方法解算出有翼弹道目标群各散射中心的幅相参数,结合不同雷达提取的微特征的关联性,利用散射中心关联处理实现了各类散射中心的分离。在此基础上,利用弹道目标的微特征,结合弹道目标各散射中心的相对位置关系,重构出各目标的三维微特征及各散射中心的三维位置矢量,进而估计出目标的进动特征和结构参数。仿真结果表明:当信噪比(SNR)为5 dB时,该方法的重构精度保持在92%左右。     

Ambiguity Functions for Quadratic Phase-Coded Pulse Trains

The matched filter ambiguity function is presented for a burst waveform composed of repeated subbursts, each one of which consists of N pulses in which the phase is varied quadratically from pulse to pulse. The resulting ambiguity function exhibits small residual ambiguities along the delay axis separated by the reciprocal of the pulse repetition frequency (PRF). A cross-ambiguity function is derived which reduces these ambiguities to zero amplitude. A third cross-ambiguity function is presented for a receiver matched to a generalized Hamming weighted repeated quadratic burst. The location in the delay/Doppler plane of the waveform ambiguities for these waveforms is compared with that of an uncoded pulse burst.     

Range Dependent Waveform of an Active Weighted Pulse Compression Receiver

This paper presents the output waveform of a correlation techniquewhich incorporates time domain amplitude weighting and matchedfiltering. This scheme may be used in pulse compression radars wherefine target detail is desired over an increment of range, the rangewindow. Analytic expressions describing the amplitude, phase, andfrequency modulation of the output waveform are obtained for thecosine-squared weighted spectrum, truncated Taylor weighted spectrum,and cosine-cubed weighted spectrum with weighting mismatchas a parameter. The effects of such mismatches on the amplitude,phase, and frequency modulation of the compressed waveform areplotted. However, the methods used to obtain these results are generalenough to obtain output waveforms of other weighting functions similarlymismatched.     

Doppler Compensation & Single Pulse Imaging using Adaptive Pulse Compression

The effects of target Doppler are addressed in relation to adaptive receive processing for radar pulse compression. To correct for Doppler-induced filter mismatch over a single pulse, the Doppler-compensated adaptive pulse compression (DC-APC) algorithm is presented whereby the respective Doppler shifts for large target returns are jointly estimated with the illuminated range profile and subsequently incorporated into the original APC adaptive receive filter formulation. As a result, the Doppler-mismatch-induced range sidelobes can be suppressed thereby regaining a significant portion of the sensitivity improvement that is possible when applying adaptive pulse compression (APC) without the existence of significant Doppler mismatch. In contrast, instead of compensating for Doppler mismatch, the single pulse imaging (SPI) algorithm generalizes the APC formulation for a bank of Doppler-shifted matched filters thereby producing a sidelobe-suppressed range-Doppler image from the return signal of a single radar pulse which is applicable for targets with substantial variation in Doppler. Both techniques are based on the recently proposed APC algorithm and its generalization, the multistatic adaptive pulse compression (MAPC) algorithm, which have been shown to be effective for the suppression of pulse compression range sidelobes thus dramatically increasing the sensitivity of pulse compression radar.     

弹载合成孔径雷达自适应重频分析与设计

弹载合成孔径雷达(Synthetic Aperture Radar,SAR)的目标距离、视线角由于高速逼近目标而快速变化,这导致传统的固定脉冲重复频率(Pulse Repetition Frequency,PRF)(简称重频)波形难以兼顾弹载SAR雷达在成像各方面的约束条件,故需要根据当前弹体运动和弹目关系变化情况实时计算重频。详细分析了影响重频选择的各项因素,包括避免距离模糊、方位模糊、高度杂波、发射遮挡影响及SAR成像分辨率、系统相参性要求等影响因素,并设计了自适应重频计算的工作流程。某SAR雷达系统实验表明,该设计能够在实际飞行弹道条件下根据实际弹目关系自适应调整脉冲重复频率,从而更好地实现SAR雷达系统的工作性能,有效解决了固定重频波形不能适应弹载SAR工作条件的难题。     

A Clutter Reduction Technique for Random Signal Radars

The performance of certain radars is degraded in environments with significant clutter returns, and since the clutter is signal-generated, increasing the transmitted power does not improve the situation. However, changing the pulse width and pulse period of the transmitted signal can increase the input signal-to-interference ratio. In this correspondence, the transmitted signal is made up of pulses of random waveforms and the receiver is a correlator where the reference signal extends over many pulses. An expression for input signal-to-interference ratio as a function of pulse width and period is obtained for the case of a distributed target. This expression could be maximized by any of several methods, but to further elucidate the clutter reduction technique, contour plots of the input signal-to-interference ratio are presented.