Introduction to Radar Target Recognition
Based on the fundamental scientific principles of high resolution radar, this text covers the key techniques being developed for operational systems, and explains how they can be used in real systems.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to Radar Target Recognition
Chapter 2: Radar Principles
2.1 Tutorial
2.1.1 Introduction
The main objective of this chapter is to provide the reader who is not a radar specialist, with a tutorial on the main aspects of radar design architectures and techniques, which support conventional radar modes. It is aimed to provide the reader with a general understanding of how current radars are designed and how they function by presenting some typical designs, without covering all the detailed techniques available. More information can be obtained from [1] [3]. Radars which employ mechanically scanning antennas such as parabolic reflectors and phased array radars which utilise electronic scanning techniques are presented. The main functional components employed and the basic principles of radar signal processing are also discussed.
Radars which can support target recognition functions follow the basic principles of conventional radar design and build on these foundations to provide the high-resolution target signature measurement capability. In some cases existing radar designs are also compatible with, or could be upgraded to support, target recognition functions. These issues are discussed in the later chapters of the book.
2.1.2 Basic concept
Radar stands for Radio Detection and Ranging. Radars use the electromagnetic spectrum for transmitting and receiving signals. In free space electromagnetic waves propagate at the speed of light, which is 299,792 km/s. This was first estimated with an accuracy of 1 per cent by R mer in 1676, by observing the intervals between eclipses of the planet Jupiter's innermost satellite [4].
The basic concept of a radar transmitting a signal...
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