Potential accuracy of quasi-optimal radar meters of angular coordinates with scanning multi-channel antenna system

Abstract

We obtained the analytical expressions for the mean square deviation of errors in estimating the angular coordinates of the target for quasi-optimal algorithms of processing the fluctuating signals in radar meters with a scanning multichannel receiving system under external interference. Analytical estimates are based on the construction and circulation of the Fisher information matrix with a joint estimation of the direction of arrival and power of the fluctuating reflected signal at the output of the isotropic receiving antenna and a parabolic approximation of the mean value of the decisive statistic in the vicinity of the target direction for the processing algorithm, which provides for an estimate of the average power of the reflected signal by the least square method. The research demonstrates the convergence of exact and approximate analytical estimates and the results of computer modeling. We present the results of studying the accuracy of determining the angular coordinates of the reflected signal for typical space-energy cases. It is shown that the estimation error of the angular coordinates of the reflected signal are unbiased, and at small intervals of the correlation of the reflected signal the probability density of estimation error of the target azimuth exhibits normal distribution. In case of large correlation intervals, the distribution significantly differs from normal and acquires a large positive kurtosis and asymmetry with their values depending on the angular differences of the interference source and the target. The obtained expressions can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of quasi-optimal radar meters in the conditions of external interference and in the complex modeling of radar facilities with such meters included.

Keywords

• spatial interference compensation
• fisher matrix
• statistical characteristics
• likelihood ratio function
• asymmetry
• kurtosis