Nonparametric Radar Extraction Using a Generalized Sign Test

A nonparametric procedure used in a constant false alarm rate (CFAR) radar extractor for detecting targets in a background of noise with unknown statistical properties is described. The detector is based on a generalization of the well-known two-sample sign test and thus requires a set of reference noise observations in addition to the set of observations being tested for signal presence. The detection performance against Gaussian noise is determined for a finite number of observations and asymptotically, for both nonfluctuating and pulse-to-pulse Rayleigh fluctuating target statistics. It is noted that the performance loss, as compared to the optimum parametric detector, depends critically on the number of reference noise observations available when the number of hits per target is not large. In the same case a much larger loss is also found for a pulse-to-pulse fluctuating target even though the asymptotic loss is the same as for a nonfluctuating target. A comparison is finally made with a detector based on the Mann-Whitney test, which usually is considered to be one of the better nonparametric procedures for the two-sample case.     

The DFTSD: A Sequential Suboptimum Processor for Multiple-Range-Bin Radar Systems

A class of simple and efficient digital sequential detectors is presented, which are particularly suitable for application to radar systems where the antenna dwell time is easily varied. A methematical method, based on the random walk model, is developed to evaluate the DFTSD (digital fixed-thresholds sequential detector) performance. The DFTSD has a loss of 0.2 to 0.3 dB with respect to the digital SPRT (sequential probability ratio test) in the case of a single-range-bin system. Finally, results for the multiple-range-bin case are presented and compared with the performance of a moving-window detector.     

A Nonparametric Sequential Test for Data with Markov Dependence

A nonparametric sequential probability ratio test has been formed for dependent data. Operating characteristics are provided and their dependence upon the parameters is investigated. An example is given for second-order Markov dependence.     

Modified Savage and Modified Rank Squared Nonparametric Detectors

A modified form of the basic Savage statistic is considered and the performance of a modified Savage (MS) nonparametric detector using this modified statistic is derived. Also, a detector using a modified rank squared statistic (MRS) is introduced. The asymptotic relative efficiency (ARE) of the detectors is determined for chisquare, Rician, and log-normal signal fluctuations when the background noise is assumed Gaussian. The ARE performance of the generalized sign (GS) and Mann-Whitney (MW) detectors is also determined for these families of fluctuations. The ARE performance of the various detectors is then compared, and the results of a computer simulation are presented in which, for a finite number of samples, the performance of the modified detectors is compared with the performance of the GS and MW detectors. It is shown that when using a large number of reference noise samples, the ARE of the GS and MW detectors, the MRS and RS detectors, and the MS and Savage detectors are 0.75, 0.868, and 1, respectively. It is also shown that when using a finite number of reference noise samples the MS and MRS detectors can give a superior performance to that obtained with the MW detector, and that this is particularly true in the cases in which the degree of signal fluctuation is high.     

Waveform Design for Multistatic Radar Detection

We derive the optimal Neyman-Pearson (NP) detector and its performance, and then present a methodology for the design of the transmit signal for a multistatic radar receiver. The detector assumes a Swerling I extended target model as well as signal-dependent noise, i.e., clutter. It is shown that the NP detection performance does not immediately lead to an obvious signal design criterion so that as an alternative, a divergence criterion is proposed for signal design. A simple method for maximizing the divergence, termed the maximum marginal allocation algorithm, is presented and is guaranteed to find the global maximum. The overall approach is a generalization of previous work that determined the optimal detector and transmit signal for a monostatic radar.     

UWB Radar for Human Being Detection

UWB radar for detection and positioning of human beings in a complex environment has been developed and manufactured. The novelty of the radar lies in its large operational bandwidth (11.7 GHz at -10 dB level) combined with high time stability. Detection of respiratory movement of a person in laboratory conditions has been demonstrated. Based on experimental results, human being radar return has been analysed in the frequency band from 1 GHz to 12 GHz. The novel principle of human being detection is considered and verified experimentally.     

CWLFM Radar for Ship Detection and Identification

Continuous wave lineal frequency modulated (CWLFM) radar presents some interesting advantages for coast surveillance and control as well as low probability of interception (LPI). This paper presents real results obtained with a radar prototype and processed with ISAR techniques. Also, results of an automatic ship identification system applied to simulated ISAR images are exposed. Moreover, radar behavior with unfavorable meteorological conditions is discussed     

Performance Data for a Double-Threshold Detection Radar

A problem f requently encountered by radar systems analysts is the evaluation of the "double-threshold" or M out of N detection process. Detection probabilities of this process are binomially distributed, making it difficult to obtain exact results for large values of the number of samples and for low probabilities of false alarm. In this paper, the M out of N detection algorithm is defined and detection performance is calculated for the special cases of the nonfluctuating target and Swerling cases I and 11 for false alarm probabilities of 106, 10-8 and 10-10.     

Simple Expressions for Determining Radar Detection Thresholds

The threshold value required to obtain a specified false-alarm probability, when postdetection integration follows a square-law or an envelope detector, is frequently needed in theoretical and practical studies of radar signal processor performance. The determination of such threshold values requires a substantial numerical computational effort. In this correspondence, simple expressions are presented with which these thresholds can be determined with excellent accuracy using only a scientific calculator.     

Performance of a Two-Sample Mann-Whitney Nonparametric Detector in a Radar Application

The detection of signals in an unknown, typically non-Gaussian noise environment, while attempting to maintain a constant false-alarm rate, is a common problem in radar and sonar. The raw receiver data is commonly processed initially by a bank of frequency filters. The further processing of the outputs from the filter bank by a two-sample Mann-Whitney detector is considered. When the noise statistics in all filters are identical, the Mann-Whitney detector is distribution free, i. e., the false-alarm probability may be prescribed in advance regardless of the precise form of the noise statistics. The primary purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the potential advantage of nonparametric detectors over conventional detectors. The signal detection performance of the Mann-Whitney detector is compared to that of an ordinary linear envelope detector plus integrator in the presence of Gaussian and several hypothetical forms of non-Gaussian noise. This comparison is made for both uniform and nonuniform distributions of noise power across the filter bank. Besides providing a much more constant false-alarm rate than the conventional detector, the Mann-Whitney detector's signal detection performance is found also to be much less sensitive to the form of the noise statistics. In one case, its detection sensitivity is found to be 11 dB better than that of the conventional detector. Even when the noise power density is made moderately nonuniform across the filter bank, the detection performance of the Mann-Whitney detector is found not to be significantly affected.     

Radar Detection in Weibull Clutter

Radar detection in Weibull clutter is examined from a statistical detection viewpoint. Weibull clutter parameters are determined and related to measured values of land and sea clutter. Optimum performance in Weibull clutter is determined, and practical receivers that approach this performance are identified. Receiver performance in Rayleigh, log-normal, and Weibull clutter is evaluated and compared.     

Modified Generalized Sign Test Processor for 2-D Radar

The modified generalized sign test processor is a nonparametric, adaptive detector for 2-D search radars. The detector ranks a sample under test with its neighboring samples and integrates (on a pulse-to-pulse basis) the ranks with a two-pole filter. A target is declared when the integrated output exceeds two thresholds. The first threshold is fixed and yields a 10-6 probability of false alarm when the neighboring samples are independent and identically distributed. The second threshold is adaptive and maintains a low false-alarm rate when the integrated neighboring samples are correlated and when there are nonhomogeneities, such as extraneous targets, in the neighboring cells. Using Monte Carlo techniques, probability of false-alarm results, probability of detection curves, and angular accuracy curves have been generated for this detector. The detector was built and PPI photographs are used to indicate the detector's performance when the radar is operated over land clutter.     

Dwelltime Minimization for Radar Target Detection in the Clear

Consider the design of a minimum dwelltime set of coherent, range-unambiguous pulse bursts that will provide a specified target detection performance in a clutter-free ("clear") range interval [Rmin,Rmax]. Practical procedures are presented here for finding these optimal waveform sets versus Rmax/Rmin, subject to a peak transmit power constraint. It is always possible to design a multiple-PRF clear mode that achieves the same effective use of energy as a single-PRF waveform with a 33 percent duty ratio. Slightly higher effective duty ratios can be achieved if the radar is capable of transmitting and processing two interleaved pulse bursts at the same PRF.     

Target Detection and Parameter Estimation for MIMO Radar Systems

We investigate several target detection and parameter estimation techniques for a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system. By transmitting independent waveforms via different antennas, the echoes due to targets at different locations are linearly independent of each other, which allows the direct application of many data-dependent beamforming techniques to achieve high resolution and excellent interference rejection capability. In the absence of array steering vector errors, we discuss the application of several existing data-dependent beamforming algorithms including Capon, APES (amplitude and phase estimation) and CAPES (combined Capon and APES), and then propose an alternative estimation procedure, referred to as the combined Capon and approximate maximum likelihood (CAML) method. Via several numerical examples, we show that the proposed CAML method can provide excellent estimation accuracy of both target locations and target amplitudes. In the presence of array steering vector errors, we apply the robust Capon beamformer (RCB) and doubly constrained robust Capon beamformer (DCRCB) approaches to the MIMO radar system to achieve accurate parameter estimation and superior interference and jamming suppression performance.     

Optimum and Suboptimum Synchronizer for Binary FSK Communication Systems

This paper considers a binary frequency-shift-keying (FSK) communication system with an adaptive receiver. Partially coherent detection is accomplished exploiting phase and bit synchronization directly extracted from the information-bearing waveform. The optimum (maximum a posteriori probability criterion) estimators of the relevant channel parameters are found along with some suboptimum realizations. It turns out that these schemes are decision-directed tracking systems that may be implemented using standard circuitry.     

A Multistage Processing Algorithm for Disturbance Removal and Target Detection in Passive Bistatic Radar

The paper examines the problem of cancellation of direct signal, multipath and clutter echoes in passive bistatic radar (PBR). This problem is exacerbated as the transmitted waveform is not under control of the radar designer and the sidelobes of the ambiguity function can mask targets including those displaced in either (or both) range and Doppler from the disturbance. A novel multistage approach is developed for disturbance cancellation and target detection based on projections of the received signal in a subspace orthogonal to both the disturbance and previously detected targets. The resulting algorithm is shown to be effective against typical simulated scenarios with a limited number of stages, and a version with computational savings is also introduced. Finally its effectiveness is demonstrated with the application to real data acquired with an experimental VHF PBR system.     

The Nonparametric Detection of Signals Embedded in Log-Normal Noise

The nonparametric detection of signals embedded in log-normal noise is discussed. The generalized sign (GS), Mann-Whitney (MW), modified Savage (MS), and modified rank squared (MRS) non-parametic detectors are considered and are compared with the mean and trimmed mean (TM) detectors when envelope detection is used. The detection of both nonfluctuating and Rayleigh fluctuating signals is considered.     

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.     

Detection Statistics for Laser Radar in Atmospheric Turbulence with Fluctuating Targets

The probability of detection and false-alarm rates are developed for laser radar systems perturbed by background radiation, fluctuating targets, and atmospheric turbulence. In particular, some results on the decibel loss due to atmospheric turbulence are presented.