Constant false alarm rate detectors for pareto clutter models

Pareto distribution has been introduced into the radar community recently as a suitable model for X-band high resolution maritime sea clutter returns. This intensity clutter model is a simple two parameter power law distribution. It is thus important to consider the development of constant false alarm rate detection processes for targets embedded within such clutter. It is shown that a simple functional transform can produce such detection schemes, whose false alarm probability and threshold are related through simple analytical expressions. These relationships are related intrinsically to Gaussian detection counterparts. Three detectors will be introduced and their performance analysed in both homogeneous and heterogeneous clutter environments. The effect of interfering targets in the training cells will also be examined.