The output spectral density of a detector operating on a f.m. c.w. radar signal in the presence of band-limited white noise

A method of analysis suggested by Lawson and Uhlenbeck is used to examine the interaction between reference signal, echo and noise in the detector stage of a frequency-modulated c. w. radar receiver. The paper gives a method of approximation which may be used in most practical cases and states the restrictions on system parameters for which the approximations are valid. Expressions for spectral density are derived separately for both quadratic and linear detectors, and the question of optimum predetector bandwidth is examined. Finally, the authors consider how signal/noise ratio will be affected by choice of bandwidth in stages which follow the detector.