An accurate Time-Difference measurement method for passive radar applications

The paper deals with an accurate Time Difference Of Arrival (TDOA) measurement method for passive radar systems. The reached measurement accuracy of several tenths of ns provides a chance to design a short base radar system with a sufficient positioning accuracy even at long ranges. The feasibility is documented using a standard hyperbolic system model of the short base TDOA system based on reception of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADSB) messages. The anticipated radar system, deployed in a small radius used a centralized time of arrival measurement with optical cable transmission of the received signals to the measurement processor. The horizontal and vertical position errors of such a system are estimated for different radius of the radar receivers array.