Representation of radar sea clutter

Sea clutter data obtained with a land-based X-band radar are analysed in terms of a correlated gamma-distributed noise model. Results obtained with both vertical-vertical and horizontal-horizontal transmit-receive polarisations are shown to be broadly compatible with the model. As a test of the assumptions inherent to the model, the author simulates textures having the same autocorrelation function as the original image data. General agreement is again observed; discrepancies can be ascribed to specific failures of the assumptions.