Submarine Mast Discrimination Techniques for High-Altitude Maritime Surveillance Radar

HyPerComp will perform analytical and computational analysis of radar returns from representative submarine mast(s) as a function of grazing angle, mast(s) configuration and exposure, surrounding sea state, look direction relative to the sea, polarization and radar operating frequency. We will explore the role of multipath scattering from the surrounding sea surface in apparent radar returns of the submarine mast. Such physics-based scattering behavior will provide high-fidelity input to the signal processing detection techniques such as single and multichannel coherent processing, sparse signal separation approaches, and time-frequency analysis that can uniquely discriminate mast signatures from flotsam returns as well as returns from other man-made objects such as buoys and small boats. In Phase I, HyPerComp will concentrate more on modeling the EM physics of the problem with some planning for the signal processing aspects. In Phase II, HyPerComp will develop partnership with companies with expertise in signal processing and develop a strong link between the high-fidelity EM phenomenology models and detection and discrimination processing algorithms. The end-goal of this proposed SBIR Phase I/II effort is to install the computational capabilities in Navy platforms that perform real time maritime surveillance.