Accurate modeling and coherent integration method for weak maneuvering target with oblique movement

Abstract

Prolonging the integration time is a widely used method to enhance the detection performance for weak targets, whereas range migration (RM) and Doppler frequency migration (DFM) might occur when the target moves with high speed and high maneuverability. Although various algorithms have been proposed to solve the migration problem and realize coherent integration, they are based on the assumption that the target is moving radially relative to radar, i.e., the instantaneous slant range from radar to target is expressed as a finite order polynomial with respect to slow time. However, the target in the practical scene is probably moving obliquely relative to radar, thus modeling error will exist between the polynomial range expression and the target’s actual instantaneous slant range from radar. We focus on the accurate modeling and coherent integration problems for the weak maneuvering target with oblique movement, where the oblique movement model (OMM) of target echo is established. Subsequently, the OMM-generalized Radon–Fourier transform method is proposed to coherently accumulate the target’s energy via correcting the complex RM and DFM. Both simulation and real data processed results have been provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.