Self-Cohering Airborne Distributed Array

摘要

Several algorithms for self cohering an airborne distributed array on radar clutter have been tested and their performances have been statistically evaluated. Also, several new algorithms have been developed. The new algorithms offer, in general, improved performance and wider applicability. Airborne clutter data was obtained from two sources: the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM). Specific runs of the 8-element NRL airborne array were identified and obtained. These covered land as well as sea clutter, with different radar look angles, and different pulse repetition rates. Several runs of ERIM SAR data were also obtained. The SAR data was adapted to permit testing of the Minimum Variance and Robust algorithms. The performance of the Minimum Variance algorithm was tested and statistically evaluated using the NRL and ERIM clutter data. The algorithm was successful against land clutter where it was used successfully for finding targets of opportunity that allowed retrodirective beamforming. The algorithm was unreliable (as expected) against sea clutter. Doppler Beamsharpening techniques were also tested against the NRL land clutter data. Doppler Beamsharpening proved to be highly effective in increasing the chance of finding targets of opportunity that allow high quality retrodirective beamforming. (rh)