Automatic target detection in simulated ground clutter (Weibull distributed) by multilayer perceptrons in a low-resolution coherent radar

• Published in: IET radar, sonar & navigation Vol. 4; no. 2; p. 315
• Main Authors: Vicen-Bueno, R, Rosa-Zurera, M, Jarabo-Amores, M P, Gil-Pita, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Stevenage The Institution of Engineering & Technology 01.04.2010
• Subjects: Clutter; Coherent radar; Computer simulation; Grounds; Multilayer perceptrons; Neural networks; Radar; Target detection
• ISSN: 1751-8784; 1751-8792
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-rsn.2009.0080

This study presents the problem of detecting known targets (Swerling 0 model) in simulated ground clutter (land cultivated). As a modelled low-resolution coherent radar system is used, the clutter is modelled by a complex-valued, time-correlated, Weibull distribution. The research exposed in this study looks for two objectives. First, finding a detection scheme that permits the final user (radar operator) determine, if a target is present or not, and its position, size and shape. And second, designing a detection scheme as robust as possible against clutter and target condition changes and approximating the specification and measurement of the radar performance by using clutter models. A detection scheme, based on neural networks is proposed, where feedforward multilayer perceptrons are used. Finally, this scheme is compared with a coherent detector commonly used, when Weibull-distributed clutter is present, the target sequence known a priori detector. This comparison empirically demonstrates the performance improvement achieved by the proposed detector comparing with the commonly used.