10 - Ground Target Detection and Tracking

Abstract

The detection and tracking of ground targets—vehicles such as tanks, trucks, or buildings—differs from that of air targets because of their relatively low speeds. Aircraft velocity is sufficient to enable the elimination of the entire spectrum of clutter signals received by Doppler filtering without greatly reducing the detection domain of the target. The Doppler frequency of the target depends on its inherent radial velocity, and the component linked to platform speed. This chapter discusses the distinction between fixed ground targets and moving ground targets. Fixed ground targets are detected if they have sufficient radar cross-section (RCS) as compared with the RCS of the environment. Displaced phase center antenna (DPCA) creates a displacement of the antenna phase center to compensate for the forward movement of the platform, from one interpulse period to the next. The limitations of DPCA is avoided by using space-time adaptive processing (STAP).