Target Identification in Complex Sensor Environments

The objective is to develop an electromagnetic modeling software code that can simultaneously handle analysis of the target, its environment and the sensors used to sense the environment along with the platform effects on which they are mounted. Our approach will be to generate the true impulse response of the targets thereby making identification much easier as it will strip off the various environmental distortions. Accurate modeling and simulation of the numerous effects present in a sensor configuration will support growth in the knowledge and understanding of the physical effects which contribute to the sensor response, when the target is not present. In addition to platform effects and sensor interactions, are effects due to the environment of the target. Clutter and ground bounce contribute to target returns and can make the discernment of the target signature more challenging. Signal processing methods typically assume that received response is from far-field targets in stochastic clutter environments. In reality, the sensor response can contain a significant portion of the near-field and deterministic undesired responses from the transmitter itself. Reflections from ground, mountains or building structures may contribute target response in multiple range cells which are not stochastic. Quantifying the impulse response of the sensor system to the ambient environment of the target will include these deterministic effects.