Joint estimation of DOA and polarisation for radar signals based on dual‐polarised antenna array

Abstract

To apply polarisation information of radar signal in radar reconnaissance equipment, a joint estimation algorithm of the radar signal direction of arrival (DOA) and polarisation parameters based on dual-polarisation antenna array has been researched in this study. The mathematical model of dual-polarised circular array has been given, and the joint estimation method of DOA and polarisation parameters for radar signal based on multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm has been analysed. To overcome the shortcomings such as high calculation cost for the MUSIC algorithm, the DOA-matrix algorithm has been presented. DOA-matrix algorithm can effectively distinguish the radar signals with different polarisation states in the same direction by use of eigen-decomposition of the DOA-matrix. Through matrix correlation calculation, spectral peak search has been avoided, and the computational cost and algorithm complexity are greatly reduced. Finally, the feasibility of the DOA-matrix algorithm has been simulated and analysed. The simulation results show that the DOA-matrix algorithm can effectively complete the joint estimation of DOA and polarisation parameters for radar signal. The running time reaches millisecond level, which has a strong application value in engineering.