Analysis of target responses and clutter based on measurements at test facility for landmine detection systems located at TNO-FEL

Target responses and natural clutter have been analyzed based on GPR measurements performed in July 2002 at the test facilities for landmine detection systems located at TNO-FEL. The object responses of four different types of antipersonnel mines (surface laid and buried at depths of one, five and six centimeters) in three different types of ground have been analyzed for different polarizations of incident and scattered wave, for different pulse durations and for different antenna configurations. Clutter levels have been defined for two different presentations of raw data and have been determined for three different types of ground. It is shown that detectability of targets by GPR is limited not by the sensitivity or the dynamic range of the radar, but by the clutter. It is demonstrated that it is possible to detect targets below clutter level using the statistical data analysis.