Diversity methods in phase monopulse tracking-a new approach

A novel approach relating target glint (difference between the phase-front gradient of the scattered field and the true target direction vector) to the analytic properties of the overall field is used to suggest a method by which the error in conventional (single frequency) phase monopulse trackers can be reduced. The approximate relationship between glint and amplitude is briefly developed, and an improved glint reduction scheme appropriate for single frequency data is described. The effectiveness in reducing direction angle error is demonstrated with simulated data. It is shown how techniques devised for multiple frequency data sets can be applied to multiple aspect data sets.<>     

Frequency-Agility Processing to Reduce Radar Glint Pointing Error

A technique to reduce radar pointing errors due to glint using frequency agility and amplitude weighting is presented. The reduction in rms tracking error is developed into an equation dependent upon the original glint tracking error, ?g, and the number of returns weighted, N. The rms tracking error is thereby reduced approximately by a factor of N. Finally, the equation formulated allows one to evaluate the reduction in glint error versus the number of frequencies chosen for frequency agility.     

Reduction of Radar Tracking Errors with Frequency Agility

Frequency agility with random frequency in each pulse gives an improvement in radar angle tracking with a monopulse radar. With a conical-scan tracking radar, the glint error is reduced but fading error can be increased, and the net result must be studied in each case. A theory, usable for calculating angle tracking errors with a frequency agile radar, is given, and two examples showing the error reduction are presented. According to the theory, one part of the glint or fading spectra is ``smeared out' to half the pulse repetition frequency. Another part, the size of which depends on the degree of correlation between pulses, keeps the form of the original spectrum.     

A Statistical Glint/Radar Cross Section Target Model

We review the details of the glint (angular scintillation) problem in electromagnetic scattering. These results are employed to develop a statistical glint and radar cross section (RCS) target model featuring the correct glint probability density function, the correct time correlations of RCS and glint, and the correct cross correlation between RCS and glint. This model is suitable for simulation applications, and an implementation scheme for a glint/RCS signal generator is included.     

Angular Glint and the Moving, Rotating, Complex Radar Target

Angular glint produces errors in radar-indicated target direction and in the Doppler frequency. Glint arises from phase perturbations of the radar signal echoed from a complex target, as compared to those from a point target. The phase gradient V? represents these glint effects very well. The direction of this vector is that of radar angle sensing. The Doppler shift is obtined from the dot product of the gradient and the target velocity. A procedure that isolates and measures glint phase variations alone, for the inaccessible target, is described.     

On analytical evaluation of glint error reduction for frequency-hopping radars

Analytical techniques are presented for evaluating the glint error reduction of frequency-agile tracking radars employing discrete frequency-hopping (FH). The techniques can be used to compare the tracking accuracies obtained with different procedures for frequency selection. The cases of random, cyclic, and hybrid FH are worked out in detail. An illustration using a simple alpha-beta tracking filter indicates that the preferred type of frequency selection usually depends on the filter gains used in a specific application.<>     

A Real-Time Statistical Radar Target Model

Radar glint arises from the spatial phase perturbations of the radar signal echoed from a complex target. The glint phenomenon is closely related to the target radar cross section (RCS). This relationship plays a significant part in modern missile seeker signal processing. We present a statistical glint/RCS target model for realtime simulation of target signatures. Particular emphasis is placed upon the modeling and simulation of the appropriate glint/RCS statistical dependency. The fundamental approximation of locating uniformly distributed scatterers around the instantaneous radar centroid employed in the Delano-Gubonin [1, 2, 3] model is removed. A key result which follows from this representation is that the mean glint estimator is unbiased. This enables the estimation of model parameters from the first-order glint and RCS statistics which can easily be computed from measured data. A method of estimating model parameters is presented, and the results are applied to data from a typical combat aircraft target. It is shown that the Delano-Gubonin results are a special case of the results presented here. The 14.6 percent probability of glint falling beyond the target extent as derived by Delano [1] is not true in general. It is further shown that glint and RCS are uncorrelated but are statistically dependent. A Monte-Carlo simulation is performed to verify the assumptions made and to demonstrate the feasibility of the working models.     

Robust Preprocessing for Kalman Filtering of Glint Noise

The non-Gaussian character of glint noise is demonstrated by exploratory data analysis. This non-Gaussian behavior is characterized by outliers in the form of glint spikes. Since glint noise is processed by an angle-tracking Kalman filter, and since the latter is quite nonrobust, strategies are proposed to minimize the effect of these glint spikes. One of the strategies, which involves robust preprocessing of the data, is pursued in detail. Finally, some results of a planar missile simulation are presented that clearly demonstrate the merits of the robust preprocessing strategy.     

Maximum likelihood identification of glint noise

If the non-Gaussian distribution function of radar glint noise is known, the Masreliez filter can be applied to improve target tracking performance. We investigate the glint identification problem using the maximum likelihood (ML) method. Two models for the glint distribution are used, a mixture of two Gaussian distributions and a mixture of a Gaussian and a Laplacian distribution. An efficient initial estimate method based on the QQ-plot is also proposed. Simulations show that the ML estimates converge to truths     

A Simple Approximate Formula for Glint Improvement with Frequency Agility

Referring to a previous paper on the subject, this correspondance gives a simple approximate formula for improvement in tracking accuracy that can be obtained by using frequency agility to reduce glint errors. The result turns out to be the smallest of two easily calculated ratios.     

Radar Target Pointing Error Reduction Using Extended Kalman Filtering

A new method of reducing target glint errors in radar systems is presented. The target is modeled as n reflectors whose magnitudes and phases are known. The reflector positions are described by a dynamical model driven by white Gaussian noise. The resulting vibrations of the target reflectors produce glintlike pointing errors in the radar system. An extended Kalman filter is developed to estimate the positions of the target reflectors; this information is used to substantially reduce the pointing error due to glint. Data illustrating this glint reduction is given. The model is extended by the inclusion of clutter effects modeled in the same fashion as the glint phenomenon. The results presented indicate the limits of usefulness of this technique as a function of both receiver noise and relative clutter amplitude.     

Feedback median filter for robust preprocessing of glint noise

Glint noise may arise in a target tracking system. The non-Gaussian behavior of glint noise can severely degrade the tracking performance. Measurement preprocessing at the front-end of the tracker is an effective method to reduce glint noise. The preprocessor proposed by Hewer, Martin, and Zeh (1987), which used the computationally intensive M-estimator, may not be suitable for practical implementation. An alternative method employing the median filter is studied here. The median filter is well known for its simplicity and robustness. However, the efficiency of the median filter can be seriously degraded if input samples are not identically distributed. This is what we may encounter in the tracking problem. A feedback median filter is then proposed to overcome this impediment without substantially increasing complexity. Simulations show that the new preprocessor can greatly improve tracking performance in the glint noise environment.     

Target racking with glint noise

In tracking targets, there can be an uncertainty associated with the measurements in addition to their inaccuracy, which is usually modeled by aDditive Gaussian noise. However, the Gaussian modeling of the noise may not be true. Noise can be non-Gaussian. The non-Gaussian noise arising in a radar system is known as glint noise. The distribution of glint noise is long tailed and will seriously affect the tracking performance. An algorithm is developed which can significantly improve the tracking performance when glint noise is present     

A nonlinear IMM algorithm for maneuvering target tracking

In target tracking, the measurement noise is usually assumed to be Gaussian. However, the Gaussian modeling of the noise may not be true. Noise can be non-Gaussian. The non-Gaussian noise arising in a radar system is known as glint noise. The distribution of glint noise is long tailed and will seriously affect the tracking performance. We develop a new algorithm that can effectively track a maneuvering target in the glint environment The algorithm incorporates the nonlinear Masreliez filter into the interactive multiple model (IMM) method. Simulations demonstrate the superiority of the new algorithm     

An interacting multiple model approach for target tracking withglint noise

The application of the interacting multiple model (IMM) estimation approach to the problem of target tracking when the measurements are perturbed by glint noise is considered. The IMM is a very effective approach when the system has discrete uncertainties in the dynamic or measurement model as well as continuous uncertainties. It is shown that this method performs better than the “score function” method. It is also shown that the IMM method performs robustly when the exact prior information of the glint noise is not available     

Unification and comparison between two concepts of radar targetangular glint

This paper provides a general proof of unification between two concepts of radar target angular glint. The analysis of a two-point target model, consisting of an electrically and magnetically ideal dipole, shows the relation, difference, and equivalent condition between them more clearly. Angular glint has been synthesized from the measured data of radar echo phase, and compared with the theoretical result     

基于位置信息的高分辨雷达角闪烁抑制方法

角闪烁误差是导引头寻的制导的主要误差来源,基于高分辨力雷达的单脉冲测角算法可有效改善角闪烁现象。现有的研究大多基于幅度加权的思想,利用距离单元的幅度信息进行加权平滑处理。本文在现有高分辨测角算法的基础上,结合高分辨一维距离像的位置信息,提出了一种新的角度信息处理方法。该算法充分利用了距离像有效单元的目标信息,提高了角度测量精度。仿真实验表明该算法对角闪烁有较好的抑制作用。     

Scattering-Center Theory and Radar Glint Analysis

The balance-point model for tracking radars has been extended by using the geometrical theory of diffraction to evaluate the magnitudes and phases of the fields received from the scattering centers on a target. Determinate, rather than statistically averaged, expressions for balance-point location are obtained. The glint model is illustrated for a right-circular cylinder.     

Comparison of two theories of angle glint: polarization considerations

Angle glint can be explained as distortions in the radar echo signal phase front, or alternatively, deviations of the direction of power flow from the radial direction. Here we show that these two theories yield identical results when the polarization of the scattered waves and the receiving antenna are considered.     

Monopulse tracking of Rayleigh targets: a simple approach

A simple derivation of the probability distribution of the monopulse ratio is presented. The derivation is based upon a conditional distribution and considers both Rayleigh targets and simple non-Rayleigh cases. The mean is obtained almost without calculation. The variance expression is given completely general noise and glint interpretation. Analytical expressions for angle error mean and spread, including noise, target width, and unresolved targets, are presented as functions of antenna position, in simple and comprehensive diagrams