High-Detail and High Dynamic Range Micro-Doppler Processing for Enhanced Target Discrimination Features

ORINCON has recently been successful with radar signal processing algorithms that extract micro-Doppler signatures from moving ground vehicles that uniquely characterize the vehicle. These algorithms utilize non-Fourier-based high-detail-sharpeningalgorithms to reveal and to enhance the signatures despite limited signal bandwidth and in the presence of extreme clutter and jammer environments. They have been successful due to the way the algorithms exploit certain radar phenomenology withoutmodifying the radar itself. ORINCON proposes further innovations with these micro-Doppler techniques to (1) adapt the algorithms to the phenomenology sensed by missile defense radars (specifically X and C band), (2) extend the two-dimensional (2-D)representation of micro-Doppler signatures to a more exploitable three-dimensional (3-D) representation, and (3) develop faster computational algorithms to implement the techniques for real-time application. Features and enhancements developed under thisSBIR will be usable by any Doppler sensitive radar, for example, that used in weather micro-Doppler bursts for aviation and severe storm prediction by NOAA. The algorithms will also have radar uses besides missile defense, to include ELINT characterizationof new radar emitters for threat analysis.