Natural Resonances of Radar Targets Via Prony´s Method and Target Discrimination

The dominant complex natural resonances of radar targets are obtained via Prony´s method applied to calculated and measured back-scattered ramp response waveforms. Subject targets are spheres, simple wire models of straight and swept wing aircraft, and realistic models of modern fighter aircraft. It is demonstrated that when the backscattered ramp response waveforms are obtained via Fourier synthesis of limited spectral range harmonic scattering data, some resonance locations at variance with those obtained from reaction integral equation search procedures are obtained. It is also shown, however, that the Prony deduced resonances can be used successfully in predictor-correlator target discrimination.