Performance of Distributed CFAR Processors in Pearson Distributed Clutter

Abstract

This paper deals with the distributed constant false alarm rate (CFAR) radar detection of targets embedded in heavy-tailed Pearson distributed clutter. In particular, we extend the results obtained for the cell averaging (CA), order statistics (OS), and censored mean level CMLD CFAR processors operating in positive alpha-stable (P&S) random variables to more general situations, specifically to the presence of interfering targets and distributed CFAR detectors. The receiver operating characteristics of the greatest of (GO) and the smallest of (SO) CFAR processors are also determined. The performance characteristics of distributed systems are presented and compared in both homogeneous and in presence of interfering targets. We demonstrate, via simulation results, that the distributed systems when the clutter is modelled as positive alpha-stable distribution offer robustness properties against multiple target situations especially when using the “OR” fusion rule.