Multipolarisation radar receiver for target detection

The authors consider the single hit detection problem, while assuming that the target echo polarisation is constant during pulse observation time, but unknown due to its randomness. A particular target detection technique is proposed and analysed in order to mitigate the effect of target polarisation randomness. Such a technique is based on a bank of linear polarisation filters providing maximum signal response for different and preset polarisations. The performance of such a multipolarisation receiver is evaluated in terms of false alarm probability and target detection probability. The evaluation is performed for a target in a Gaussian white zero-mean background noise, using six polarisation filters having their optimum polarisations symmetrically located on the Poincare sphere.