Performance evaluation of a multipolarisation receiver

Performance improvement of radar detection is connected with the possibility of integrating information pertaining to different signal domains. The detection of a target embedded in clutter is approached through a multipolarisation receiver using a bank of K polarisation filters, Poincare surface. The outputs of these filters are compared with different thresholds, whose values depend on the clutter power at each filter output. A simpler implementation of the multipolarisation filter is obtained in the case of absence of clutter: indeed, in this case the same threshold value is adopted for each branch. The performance of the multipolarisation receiver is evaluated for both cases of target in the clear and target embedded in clutter. Target and clutter returns are supposed completely polarised, while Gaussian background additive noise is assumed. Some relevant results are reported and compared with those obtained using a simple receiver, optimum for detection of unpolarised target echo in the clear.