Radar target identification using a likelihood ratio test and matching pursuit technique

On the basis of likelihood ratio test (LRT) theory, a new method for radar target identification with matching pursuits, including the estimation method for target scattering response and the extraction technique for the reference atom dictionary to characterise the target scattering, is introduced. When compared with the generalised LRT (GLRT) target identification method, there is a very important contribution in our method that the whole scattering waveform, not only a few main poles, is used to identify targets without any prior parameterisation model hypothesis. Furthermore, the identification to candidate targets can be performed in an almost aspect-independent manner over a full aspect angle in white Gaussian noise through a finite size reference atom dictionary. Simulation results using scattered responses synthesised from weighted sums of some exponentially damped sinusoids and calculated scattering signatures of three thin wires through a time-domain electric field integral equation are presented to contrast the performance of our method to the GLRT and the best LRT target identification method as a function of signal-to-noise ratio