The theory of functionals of stochastic backscattered fields

Abstract

The theory of wave scattering by anisotropic statistically rough surfaces, which is an important part of statistical radiophysics, is considered. A new analytic method is developed and generalized for solving problems of radar imaging. The method involves analytic determination of the functionals of stochastic backscattered fields and can be applied to solve a wide class of physical problems with allowance for the finite width of an antenna’s pattern. The unified approach based on this method is used to analyze the generalized frequency response of a scattering radio channel, a generalized correlator of scattered fields, spatial correlation functions of stochastic backscattered fields, frequency coherence functions of stochastic backscattered fields, the coherence band of a spatial-temporal scattering radar channel, the kernel of the generalized uncertainty function, and the measure of noise immunity characterizing radar probing of the Earth’s surface or extended targets. The introduced frequency coherence functions are applied for thorough and consistent study of techniques for measuring the characteristics of a rough surface, aircraft altitude, and distortions observed when radar signals are scattered by statistically rough, including fractal, surfaces. To exemplify urgent applications, radiophysical synthesis of detailed digital reference radar terrain maps and microwave radar images that was proposed earlier is considered and improved with the use of the theory of fractals.