Models of extended targets and their coherent radar images

The quality of coherent radar images is affected by several factors inherent in the target scattering phenomenon and in the radar system. Certain of these factors, such as resolution, image fluctuation, assumed amplitude cell statistics, noncoherent smoothing, background noise, and the film response, are investigated in detail. Simple statistical models of an extend target are constructed in order to simulate images and to show how these effects are related. It is shown that resolution is the dominant factor that affects image quality. The relative importance of all other factors is highly dependent on resolution.