Application of a Frequency Domain Prony Method to Wide Bandwidth Radar Signature Classification

摘要

A frequency domain Prony approach is presented for extracting features of return signals from targets illuminated by wide bandwidth (short pulse) radar. Theoretical details pertaining to this approach are described in a separate paper. The features mentioned above consist of the relative delays and reflection coefficients pertaining to scattering centers on the target representing differently shaped regions on the target surface. The dimensionality of the feature vectors thus constructed is very low (less than ten). Moreover, when used in the classification of targets by a nearest neighbor classification strategy, such feature vectors permit accurate discrimination between targets that do not differ much in shape, and also they are in a large measure insensitive to noise. The above results were corroborated by computer simulations performed on the data base created by the coherent X-band short pulse (0.5 nanosecond) radar at the Fort Worth Operation Radar Range of General Dynamics Convair Aerospace Division. The three objects on which extensive simulations were carried out were an AGENA space vehicle with rectangular cross-sectional first stage, an AGENA space vehicle with cylindrical cross-sectional first stage, and an AGENA space vehicle payload. The results of these simulations, which were rather successful, are discussed in detail.