Vessel target detection using zero‐Doppler spectra of radar echo for high‐frequency surface wave radar

Abstract

High-frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR) is employed generally to detect and track moving targets by using the Doppler shift of target echoes caused by their radial movement relative to the radar site. As the target echoes with zero-Doppler are often mistaken for land or islands clutter, they would be discarded or removed as clutters in most cases. In this study, it is pointed out that not only land/island clutter but also moving targets with very low speed and non-moving targets are contained in the zero-Doppler spectra of HFSWR. Then, a detection method using zero-Doppler spectra of HFSWR echoes is proposed to detect the moving targets with very low speed or non-moving targets. The basic principles of the method and its essential flowchart of signal processing are introduced, and the preliminary results are given. Finally, the method is validated with experimental data and coincident AIS data.