The Identification of Arbitrarily Shaped Targets with the Scattering Matrix

Abstract

It is well known that the shape of a conducting target can be classified according to information derived from polarized, radar backscatter formulated as the scattering matrix. It is shown that the important information about the shape of an arbitrary target is included in five invariant parameters, designated as A, B, C, X, and Y, which are derived from the scattering matrix, and that these parameters are functions of the target yaw and roll angles. As a target follows a particular path in yaw and roll angles. As a target follows a particular path in yaw and roll angles, its trace in five-dimensional, A-B-C-X-Y space is developed, and the complete classification of a target for all aspects is a closed surface in A-B-C-X-Y space. An unknown target is identified by matching its trace for closeness with the known-classification surfaces. The classification and recognition system proposed in this paper makes use of multiple observations of the scattering matrix of the unknown target. Each observation yields a point (A, B, C, X, Y) that is then mapped in a uniformly spaced, five-dimensional grid to the closest grid intersection. The mapped points are connected and encoded with a vector train and a useful measure of closeness between two vector trains is shown.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1970
Accession Number
AD0712067

Entities

People

  • Albert J. Perrella
  • Frank P. Kuhl

Organizations

  • United States Naval Academy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force Facilities
  • Backscattering
  • Bodies
  • Classification
  • Coding
  • Digital Computers
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Grids
  • Identification
  • Line Of Sight
  • Military Research
  • New York
  • Recognition
  • Scattering
  • Target Classification
  • Three Dimensional
  • United States Naval Academy

Readers

  • Electromagnetic Wave Scattering and Antenna Radiation Engineering
  • Marine Hydrodynamics
  • Radar Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Space Objects
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers