On the Choice of the Coordinate System and Tracking Filter for the Track-while-scan Mode of an Airborne Pulse Doppler Radar

Abstract : A comparison between tracking in spherical coordinates using coupled range and angle filters and tracking with debiased consistent converted measurements in 3D Cartesian coordinates is presented. The sensor is an airborne pulse Doppler radar (APDR) with typical measurements being range, range-rate, azimuth and elevation. The report investigates the tracking accuracy (position, range-rate and vertical/horizontal heading) achievable in the Medium and High PRF mode of an APDR, for both non-mauoenvring and manoeuvring targets. The manoeuvre handling logic is based on the interactive multiple model (IMM) approach.