Measurement, processing and modeling of a tropical foliage clutter using Forward Scatter Radar micro-sensor network with VHF and UHF bands

This paper starts with description of a tropical foliage clutter measurements conducted at Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) using Forward Scatter Radar (FSR) with very high frequency (VHF) and ultra high frequency (UHF) bands. A clutter model is developed based on the characteristics of the measured clutter signal. This model will be used as a reference clutter signal in order to eliminate the effect of clutter during detection and classification process. Five types of statistical distribution are used to model the clutter signal namely Gamma, Log-Normal, Log-Logistic, Weibull and Nakagami. The models are then being compared and tested using root mean square error (RMSE) method to find the best distribution model that satisfies to represent the clutter signal. Gamma distribution model is found to be the best model for tropical foliage clutter.