Polarization Vector Signal Processing For Radar Clutter Suppression

Abstract

A model is presented for a radar scatterer which simultaneously incorporates range, doppler, and polarization characteristics in the statistical sense. Any scatterer, whether it be a target or clutter, can be represented by such a model. It is shown how this environmental model contains discriminants used to design an optimal waveform and an optimum receiver system for doubly spread (doppler and range) scatterers. This paper will provide the reader with five conceptual issues relating to polarization processing, all of which are in analytical form. These are:

• a. General model for the polarization scattering matrix with doppler, range, polarization sense and statistical properties simultaneously. Such a model is an aid to the systems engineer in providing properties to look for in a clutter/target model. It also provides parameters which should be measured in a clutter/target site survey.

• b. A method for satisfying the conditions for an optimal polarization vector waveform.

• c. A generalization of the ambiguity function; the ambiguity tensor which results when the waveform is a vector from a multiple-channel system.

• d. The analytical procedure for designing the conventional and optimum vector (multi-channel)receiver.

• e. Performance expressions for the clutter/target model and subsequent transmitter/receiver

The discussion starts with a review of model and system optimization for the single-channle (scalar) case. After this brief review the paper extends the subject to the multiple-channle (polarization) case resulting in the manipulation of vectors, matrices, and higher order tensors.