Trajectory optimisation method by using independent component analysis for MIMO‐OTHR target tracking

Abstract

Traditional sky-wave over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) target tracking algorithms, such as multipath probabilistic data association, can achieve good performance if the multipath environment clutter is not strong enough. The computation complexity and tracking performance of these algorithms can be further improved by multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar technology owing to its capability to utilise transmitting and receiving diversities. However, multipath propagation is still considered to degrade the performance because of the strong ionosphere and sea clutter. To deal with the interference of strong clutter in a multipath environment, a tracking trajectory optimisation method is proposed by applying the fast and robust fixed-point independent component analysis algorithm which uses the projection pursuit approach to separate clutter and a true target moving trajectory from the received signals. Numerical simulations demonstrate the feasibility of the method, and it also shows that the multipath measurements can be utilised for MIMO-OTHR target tracking.