Radar signal processing using digital nonlinear filters

A fundamental digital signal processing technique is described that allows the synthesis of quasi-optimum nonlinear receivers for the detection of radar targets in clutter and noise. Methods for modeling radar signals as vector-Markov processes are described and compared with experimental data. Equations that describe an optimum receiver structure are derived. Approximate solutions for the optimum receiver equations are described and an algorithm suitable for digital implementation is given. A quasi-optimum nonlinear receiver for the detection of radar targets in correlated log-normal clutter and receiver noise is derived and its performance determined by simulating the resulting nonlinear digital receiver.