Introduction to Radar Systems

Radar Clutter and Chaff

Radar Course_1.ppt ODonnell 10-26-01

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Radar Clutter
Target Cross Section

Propagation Medium

Transmitter

Waveform Generator Signal Processor Pulse Compression Doppler Processing

Antenna Buildings (Radar Clutter)

Receiver

A/D

Main Computer Tracking & Parameter Estimation Console / Display Recording

Detection

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Why Understand Radar Clutter?

Naval Air Defense Scenario
Radar echo is composed of:

Backscatter from target of interest Receiver noise Atmospheric noise Interference From other radars Jammers

Backscatter from unwanted objects Ground Sea Rain Chaff Birds Ground traffic

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Outline

Motivation Ground Clutter Sea Clutter Rain Chaff Birds and Insects

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Attributes of Ground Clutter

Mean value of backscatter from ground clutter
Very large size relative to aircraft Varies statistically
Frequency, spatial resolution, geometry, terrain type

Doppler characteristics of ground clutter return

Innate Doppler spread small (few knots)
Mechanical scanning antennas add spread to clutter

Relative motion of radar platform affects Doppler of ground clutter

Ship Aircraft
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Photographs of Ground Based Radars PPI

(Different Levels of Attenuation)
Mountainous Region of Lakehead, Ontario, Canada PPI Set for 30 nmi.

0 dB

60 dB
MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Courtesy of IEEE. Used with permission. Source: Shrader, W. "Radar Technology Applied to Air Traffic Control," IEEE Transactions on Communications, Vol COM-21, No. 5, May 1973. IEEE.
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Photographs of Ground Based Radars PPI

(Different Levels of Attenuation)
0 dB 10 dB 20 dB

30 dB

40 dB

50 dB

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Geometry of Radar Clutter

Radar

Elevation View
h cT / 2

cT sec

Plan View
Radar

Clutter

R B

0 =
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A = RB [ cT sec ]
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Calculation of Ground Clutter

0.01 m2 Typical Value of o = -20 dB = m2 cT Clutter = o A = o R B 2 For ASR-9 (Airport Surveillance Radar) cT = 100m B = 1.5o = 0.026 radians R = 60 km 2 0.01 m2 x 100 m x 60,000 m x 0.026 radians = 1500 m2 Clutter = 2 m For Target = 1
Small single-engine aircraft
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m2

Target Clutter

1 1500

Target Clutter

= 20

M ust suppress clutter by a factor of 1500 x 20 = 30,000 = 45 dB

For good detection

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Joint U.S./Canada Measurement Program

Phase One radar

VHF, UHF, L-, S-, X-bands

42 sites Data shared with Canada and the United Kingdom

Measurements conducted 1982 1984 Archival data at Lincoln Laboratory

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Clutter Physics

R H Depression Visible Angle Terrain

Microshadowing
Clutter Coefficient o

Image from Billingsley, J. B. Ground Clutter Measurements for Surface Sited Radars. Tech Report 786, Rev. 1. Lexington, MA: Lincoln Laboratory, February 1, 1993. Courtesy of Lincoln Laboratory
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Clutter Physics
Lobing Free Space

R H Depression Visible Angle Terrain

Multipath Microshadowing Propagation Factor F

Clutter Coefficient o

Clutter Strength = oF 4
Image from Billingsley, J. B. Ground Clutter Measurements for Surface Sited Radars. Tech Report 786, Rev. 1. Lexington, MA: Lincoln Laboratory, February 1, 1993. Courtesy of Lincoln Laboratory

1) Radar Parameters Frequency, f Spatial resolution, A

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2) Geometry Depression angle (Range R, Height H)

3) Terrain Type Landform Land cover

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Mean Ground Clutter Strength vs. Frequency

0 10 20

Mean of F4 (dB)

General Rural (36 Sites)

30 40 50 60 70 80 VHF UHF LSX-band 10,000 1,000 Range Resolution (m) 150 150 15/36 15/36

Key

Polarization H V H V MIT Lincoln Laboratory

100

Frequency (MHz)
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Outline

Motivation Ground Clutter Sea Clutter Rain Chaff Birds and Insects

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Attributes of Sea Clutter

Mean cross section of sea clutter depends on many variables
Wind and weather
Sea State

Radar frequency Radar Polarization Range resolution Cross range resolution Grazing angle Too many variables

Mean sea backscatter is about 100 times less than ground backscatter
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Figure by MIT OCW.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

World Meteorological Organization Sea State

Sea State 0 to 1 2 3 4 5 6

Wave Height (m) 0 to 0.1 0.1 to 0.5 0.6 to 1.2 1.2 to 2.4 2.4 to 4 4 to 6

Wind Velocity (knots) 0 to 6 7 to 10 11 to 16 17 to 21 22 to 27 28 to 47

Descriptive Term Calm, Rippled Smooth, Wavelets Slight to Moderate Moderate to Rough Very Rough High

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Sea Spikes

Figure by MIT OCW.

Grazing angle 1.5 deg. Horizontal polarization

At low grazing angles, sharp sea clutter peaks, known

as sea spikes, begin to appear

These sea spikes can cause excessive false detections

From Lewis and Olin, NRL
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Outline

Motivation Ground Clutter Sea Clutter Rain Chaff Birds and Insects

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Attributes of Rain Clutter

Rain both attenuates and reflects radar signals Problems caused by rain lessen dramatically with longer
wavelengths (lower frequencies)
Much less of a issue at L-Band than X-Band

Rain is diffuse clutter (wide geographic extent)

Travels horizontally with the wind Has mean Doppler velocity and spread
Reflected energy Rain drop

Transmitted energy
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PPI Display Radar Normal Video

Clear Day (No Rain) Day of Heavy Rain

10 nmi Range Rings on PPI Display August 1975, FAA Test Center Atlantic City, New Jersey

Airport Surveillance Radar S Band Detection Range - 60 nmi on a 1 m2 target

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10 nmi Range Rings on PPI Display August 1975, FAA Test Center Atlantic City, New Jersey
MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Reflectivity of Uniform Rain ( in dBm2/m3)

Figure by MIT OCW.

Rain reflectivity increases as f 4 (or 1 / 4)

Rain clutter is an issue at S-Band and a significant one at X-Band or higher frequencies
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Measured S-Band Doppler Spectra of Rain

Azimuth = 90
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 60 Kt 0 + 60 Kt 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Azimuth = 320
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 60 Kt 0 + 60 Kt 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Azimuth = 330

dB

60 Kt

+ 60 Kt

Doppler Velocity

Doppler Velocity

Doppler Velocity Velocity Spread 6 kts

In these examples the rainfall rate was approximately 20 mm/hr Winds 30 kts on ground, 50 kts at 6000 ft

dB

Rain is not Gaussian Mean velocity varies as storm moves by radar

60 Kt

Doppler Velocity

+ 60 Kt

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Outline

Motivation Ground Clutter Sea Clutter Rain Chaff Birds and Insects

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Attributes of Chaff
Large number of dipoles (metallic or metallic coated)
High reflectivity per pound Optimum length 1/2 of radar wavelength Moves with the wind

Uses of chaff
Masking
Large cloud can shield aircraft or missiles in or near the cloud

Deception
Chaff puff can emulate a missile / aircraft and cause false detections Packets of chaff can divert radar tracker from target
MIT Lincoln Laboratory

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Chaff Reflectivity and Density

Resonant Metallic Dipoles

= .18 2 (in m2) Average Cross Section per Dipole Bandwidth 10-15% of center frequency Fall rates 0.5 to 3 m/s

Aluminum foil dipoles (.001 in. x .01 in. x /2 long)

= 3000 W / f (in m2) W = weight in lb, f = frequency in GHz At S-Band, 400 lb yields = 265,000 m2 or 54.3 dBsm

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AN/ALE-38 Chaff-Dispensing System

Motor Gear Chaff Roll (6 each) Cartridge (6 each) Air Cylinder Water Separator Take-up Rollers (12 each) Air Ducts (6 each) 0.10 in

Chaff Roll Chaff Roll Hub

Ram Air Inlet

Take-up Roller Chaff Air Duct Chaff

0.02 in Polyester Film 13 in

Take-up Roller

n 12.5 i

Chaff (Aluminized Glass or Aluminum Foil) Dipole (6 rows)

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Movie of Chaff

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Outline

Motivation Ground Clutter Sea Clutter Rain Chaff Birds and Insects

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Bird Breeding Areas and Migration Routes

Gadwall Northern Flicker Virginia Rail

Photos courtesy of vsmithuk, sbmontana, and khosla.

Figure by MIT OCW.

During the breeding season along the Gulf Coast, sea and wading bird colonies exist that have up to 60,000 birds. 10,000 birds are common. These birds are large; weighing up to 1 kg and having wingspreads from 0.75 to several meters. MIT Lincoln Laboratory Radar Course_30.ppt
ODonnell (1) 6-19-02

Bird Breeding Areas and Migration Routes

Spotted Towhee Black Tern Northern Harrier

Photos courtesy amkhosla, Changhua Coast Conservation Action, and amkhosla.

Figure by MIT OCW.

Within the lower Mississippi Valley, 63 blackbird roosts have been identified with over 1 million birds each. Many smaller roosts also exits. These birds disperse 30 miles for daily feeding.
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Radar Properties of Birds

Even though the radar echo of birds is relatively small, bird densities are so great that birds can often overload a radar with false targets Since birds move at relatively low velocities, their speed, if measured, can be used to preferentially threshold out the low velocity birds.
Figure by MIT OCW.
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Bird Example from Dallas-Fort Worth

Radar&Beacon Beacon-Only Radar Uncorrelated Radar Correlated

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Attributes of Birds
Birds are actually moving point targets
Velocity usually less than 60 knots

Mean radar cross section is small, but a fraction of bird

returns fluctuate up to a high level (aircraft like)
Cross section is resonant at S-Band and L-Band

Lots of birds per square mile

10 to 1000 bird / square mile

Birds cause a false target problem in many radars

Significant issue for when detecting targets with low cross sections
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Insects

Insects can clutter the display

and prevent detection of desired targets

Density of insects can be

many orders of magnitude greater than that of birds

Insect flight path generally

follows that of the wind

Cross section can be

represented as a spherical drop of water of the same mass

Insect echoes broad side are

10 to 1,000 times than when viewed end on
Figure by MIT OCW.
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Summary

A number of different types of radar clutter returns have

been described
Ground, sea, rain, and birds

These environmental and manmade phenomena will

produce a variety of discrete and diffuse, moving and stationary false targets, unless they are dealt with effectively

A number of signal and data processing techniques can

be used to suppress the effect of these radar clutter returns.

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References
Skolnik, M., Introduction to Radar Systems, New York,
McGraw-Hill, 3rd Edition, 2001

Nathanson, F. E., Radar Design Principles, New York,

McGraw-Hill, 2nd Edition, 1991

Eastwood, E., Radar Ornithology, London, Methuen,

1967

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