Handling range-ambiguities in registration-based range-dependence compensation for conformal array STAP

We consider space-time adaptive processing (STAP) when the radar returns are recorded by a conformal antenna array (CAA). The statistics of the secondary data snapshots used to estimate the optimum weight vector are not identically distributed with respect to range, thus preventing the customary STAP processor from achieving its optimum performance. Realistic compensation of the range dependence of the secondary data requires to account for range ambiguities in the clutter returns. We propose an innovative extension of our registration-based range-dependence compensation algorithm. Our extension allows to obtain an accurate estimate of the interference-plus-noise covariance matrix even when the ground clutter return for a given fast-time sampling instant includes returns from isoranges that are ambiguous in range. The performance in terms of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio loss is promizing.

[1]  L.E. Brennan,et al.  Theory of Adaptive Radar , 1973, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems.

[2]  G. K. Borsari,et al.  Mitigating effects on STAP processing caused by an inclined array , 1998, Proceedings of the 1998 IEEE Radar Conference, RADARCON'98. Challenges in Radar Systems and Solutions (Cat. No.98CH36197).

[3]  Joseph R. Guerci,et al.  On Periodic Autoregressive Processes Estimation , 2000 .

[4]  M.C. Wicks,et al.  Adaptive clutter cancellation in bistatic radar , 2000, Conference Record of the Thirty-Fourth Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems and Computers (Cat. No.00CH37154).

[5]  Joseph R. Guerci,et al.  Generalized forward/backward subaperture smoothing techniques for sample starved STAP , 2000, IEEE Trans. Signal Process..

[6]  Dimitris G. Manolakis,et al.  Statistical and Adaptive Signal Processing , 2000 .

[7]  R. Klemm.  Principles of Space-Time Adaptive Processing , 2002 .

[8]  William L. Melvin,et al.  Doubly adaptive bistatic clutter filtering , 2003, Proceedings of the 2003 IEEE Radar Conference (Cat. No. 03CH37474).

[9]  James H. McClellan,et al.  Clutter-limited detection performance of multi-channel conformal arrays , 2004, Signal Process..

[10]  B. Himed,et al.  Estimation of range-dependent clutter covariance by configuration system parameter estimation , 2005, IEEE International Radar Conference, 2005..

[11]  J. Verly,et al.  Registration-based range-dependence compensation method for conformal array STAP , 2005 .

[12]  F.D. Lapierre,et al.  Computationally-efficient range-dependence compensation method for bistatic radar STAP , 2005, IEEE International Radar Conference, 2005..

[13]  B. Himed,et al.  Adaptive compensation for conformal array STAP by configuration parameter estimation , 2006, 2006 IEEE Conference on Radar.

[14]  W.L. Melvin,et al.  Adaptive cancellation method for geometry-induced nonstationary bistatic clutter environments , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems.

[15]  F.D. Lapierre,et al.  Fundamentals of spatial and Doppler frequencies in radar STAP , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems.

[16]  J.G. Verly,et al.  High-resolution clutter-power estimation for range-dependence compensation in conformal-array STAP , 2008, 2008 International Radar Symposium.