Use of highly deterministic model in signal-bearing estimation

The author describes an algorithm, based on deterministic modelling, which is called the correlation height analysis (CHA) technique. The algorithm has been designed to be used specifically for radar tracking of low-angle targets over the ocean. In this algorithm a low-angle model is used to generate radar data corresponding to a series of potential target heights. An ensemble of radar signatures is derived which correspond to these heights. The simulated data is correlated with the radar data and peaks in the crosscorrelation function are looked for. A series of peaks is obtained, and one of these peaks corresponds to the actual target height and the remainder correspond to alias target heights. The alias peaks are analogous to the lobes of an interferometer. The true track is selected from the ensemble of tracks by introducing a perturbation mechanism into the algorithm.