High-Resolution Tracking of Distributed Targets

The high-resolution radars at Kwajalein Missile Range (KMR) have sufficient bandwidth to resolve multiple scattering points on most targets of interest. As radar returns from these multiple scattering points fluctuate during track, the radar track point may jump between the scattering points. This jumping/wandering of the track point from look-to-look is interpreted by the track filter as a change in the apparent velocity of the target. Track filters attempt to follow such false changes in target velocity and thus may be driven off the target and lose track. This problem is particularly troublesome for the very-high-resolution Milli-Meter Wave (MMW) radar which frequently breaks track while tracking large satellite targets. This proposal identifies an innovative means of improving the range-marking algorithms to enable the KMR radars to maintain track on targets whose scattering centers are distributed over multiple resolution cells. A plan is presented for demonstrating the feasibility of the new approach. The plan includes a detailed analysis and investigation employing Toyon's existing high-fidelity digital simulation of the MMW radar. The proposed improvements will significantly enhance the ability of the MKW radar and other high-resolution radars to teliably maintain track on distributed targets. This will yield an immediate increase in the productivity (i.e., more data at less cost) of the MMW radar in the cataloging of satellites and their orbital parameters. The technique can also be extended to civilian high-resolution radar applications which require reliable tracks on extended targets.