Radar Array Processing of Experimental Data Via the Scan-MUSIC algorithm

摘要

This report demonstrates a novel algorithm of radar array processing that was developed at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and named the Scan-MUltiple SIgnal Classification (SMUSIC) algorithm. The algorithm can improve angular resolution of real targets when a single rotatable antenna is used as the sensor. The algorithm is an adaptation and extension of the MUSIC algorithm which requires an array of many sensors. We achieved a resolution of approximately 1/3 of antenna beamwidth for all target orientations and range offsets from experimental data. Previous work that used closely space point targets showed that the results from the SMUSIC algorithm could be degraded because of strong interference between the point target returns. Those interferences occur because of the relative phases of their returned signals. Therefore, there were some limitations of the algorithms for simple targets that consisted of a single scatterer. This new work shows that the limitation does not occur for real targets, which are more complex, such as would be present in Army radar applications.