Real-time Location of Targets in Cluttered Environments

ABSTRACT: A high-fidelity computational electromagnetic solution will be developed that directly solves Maxwell"s equations in order to calculate radar returns from complex, electrically large objects in motion, such as wind turbines with rotating blades. The solution will include propagation effects from terrain and atmosphere, multipath between object parts, and the details of interior and exterior construction to capture all critical aspects of scattering from objects constructed of thin, dielectric materials. Hardware acceleration and parallel-processing capabilities will be incorporated to ensure efficient execution of simulation sets used to characterize the dynamic nature of the radar returns. Simulated returns will then be used in concert with measured returns to train an innovative and adaptive signal processing methodology which can then be used in real-time to mitigate the clutter impacts with the objective of improving probability of detection. The final solution will be a knowledge-aided, site-specific process, that can take advantage of known object locations and measured or simulated radar clutter returns to improve radar performance in the presence of complex cluttered environments. BENEFIT: The outcome of this STTR will be a comprehensive capability to mitigate complex radar clutter through two complementary capabilities: (1) an end-to-end simulation tool that can predict the impact of wind turbines and other complex structures on radar returns with high fidelity, and (2) an adaptive signal processing solution that mitigates wind turbine clutter, and can be trained by a combination of measured data and results from the simulation tool. This has the potential to significantly benefit air traffic control and air force radar installations, by improving their ability to detect aircraft in the presence of such clutter. Over time, the existence of such capabilities may also help to allow proposed wind farm projects that would have previously been denied due to the concern of potential radar interference, to now be allowed to proceed with radar mitigation technology in place to prevent adverse impacts. Finally, a new, high-fidelity radar scattering modeling and simulation capability will provide a new tool for engineers in the radar community to assist with predictions of effectiveness in the presence of complex terrain, atmosphere, and clutter conditions.