Diversity in Radar Sensor Networks: Theoretical Analysis and Application to Target Detection

Abstract

We study a diversity scheme based on waveform design and space-time adaptive processing to improve the detection performance of radar sensor networks in the presence of certain types of interference. To reduce the interference between radar sensors and maximize the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, we use an orthogonality criterion to design waveforms for radar sensors. Besides, performance of radar sensor networks depends largely on clutter which is extended in both angle and range and is spread in Doppler frequency. By using the space-time adaptive processing, effects of clutter can be suppressed. We also propose a receiver for diversity combining and, as an application example, we investigate the detection performance of radar sensor networks using the proposed diversity scheme. Simulation results for both non-fluctuating targets and fluctuating targets show that the performance of the proposed scheme is superior to that of the single radar with the spatial-temporal diversity only.