Radar Principles - Study Notes

Prof Doug Gray

University of Adelaide Radar Research Centre,
EEE School, Adelaide University
January 2014

1 Overall aims of course

The principal aim of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental principles
underlying radar systems and to enable them to understand and apply these principles to
generic radar systems. The subject is specifically structured around these aims.

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• describe the main principles underlying radar systems.
• understand the role of each component of a radar system.
• use the radar equation to describe the performance of radar systems.
• understand how target and environmental characteristics affect the choice of
system design parameters.
• describe and assess the relative advantages of different types of radars.

2. Material
Copies of slides used during the lecture will be placed on the course web page prior to
lectures A set of brief lecture notes summarizing main points can be found on the web
but lectures may not follow these notes in strict order and students are encouraged to use
appropriate reference books to follow up more detailed aspects of the course.
The main reference text is M.A. Richards, J.A.Scheer and W.A. Holm (Eds) Principles of
Modern Radar –Basic Principles but the book G W Stimson Introduction to Airborne
Radar is also an excellent introduction.
Tutorials are focused on the application of the theory covered in lectures to data and
some examples using Matlab may be made available to students during the course.

2.1 Assumed knowledge

An understanding of the basic ideas of RF propagation, physics, probability, statistics,
random processes and signal processing is assumed. It would be an advantage but is not
essential to have some understanding of the principles of Detection and Estimation,
Antenna Theory, Signal Processing, Beamforming and Array Processing.

2.2 Course Outline

The course covers the areas listed below
Overview of Key Principles,
Radar Components and Processing, Radar System Functions, Radar Types, Radar
Applications
Radar Range Equation
Point target derivation, System Noise, SNR, System Losses
Radar Waveforms and Ambiguity Function
CW, Single Pulse, Pulse Doppler, Coherent vs incoherent, Range estimation and range
ambiguities, Ghosts, Sensing Doppler frequencies – Doppler ambiguities,,Pulse
compression, FMCW, Phase coding, Other waveforms eg, Passive radar, noise radar
Ambiguity Function definition and properties

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Transmitters
Waveform generation, Power conversion, Mixers, Duplexors , RF devices – magnetrons
and travelling wavetubes, Synchronisation and Timing Issues
Antennas and Phased Arrays
Radiation patterns, Beamwidth, sidelobes and gain, Antennas,Phased arrays
Propagation, Scattering and Clutter
Propagation, Attenuation, Refraction, Diffraction, etc, Scattering, Radar cross-section,
Target fluctuation, Clutter, Surface and Volume clutter Ground clutter for airborne radar
Radar Receivers RF aspects
Preamplifiers, Down-conversion, Limiters, Noise Figures
Radar Signal Processing
Matched filters, Range processing, Doppler processing, Fourier transforms, Conventional
phase shift beamforming, STAP
Detection and the Radar Equation
Detection Principles, Statistical Detection Theory, Pulse Envelope Detector, Radar
Equation, Integration, CFAR
FMCW radars
Doppler effect, FMCW/Pulse compression, FMCW,Ambiguities
Parameter Estimation and Tracking Radars
Key basics of estimation theory, Range accuracy, Frequency estimation, Direction of
arrival, Tracking radars – lobing and monopulse
Synthetic Aperture Radar
Cross-range resolution, Synthetic aperture and resolution, Azimuthal chirps, SAR image
formation, MoComp,

2.3 Reference Material

2.3.1 Course Reference Texts
1. M.A. Richards, J.A.Scheer and W.A. Holm (Eds) Principles of Modern Radar –Basic
Principles
2. G W Stimson Introduction to Airborne Radar
2.3.2 Background References
3. M I Skolnik Introduction to Radar Systems
4. M I Skolnik Radar Handbook
5. B R Mahafza Radar Systems Analysis and Design using Matlab.
2.3.3 General Course References
6. G Morris and L Harkness Airborne Pulsed Doppler Radar
7 N Fourikis Advance Array Systems, Applications and RF Technologies
8 R Klemm Space-Time Adaptive Processing
9 A Farina Antenna-Based Signal Processing Techniques for Radar Systems
10 R.J. Mailloux Phased Array Antenna Handbook

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3 Course Delivery :
The lectures will be delivered in short course format from Monday February 3 2014 to
Friday February 7 2014. A detailed lecture schedule is presented at the end of this
document.
Following the lectures there will be a series of weekly tutorials/seminars organized by
UCT. In preparation for these tutorials students will be provided with a problem sheet or
a short quiz and will be expected to submit their solutions electronically prior to the
tutorial. These solutions will not be marked but credit will be given attempting and
submitting solutions and for tutorial attendance and participation.
During the course some additional exercises will be set - these are not for assessment but
it will be useful if students try them to ensure proper mastery of the subject.

4. Assessment (subject to slight variations)

Assignment 1: Sheet of problems 10%
Assignment 2: Sheet of problems 10%
Examination 70%
Tutorial participation 10%

An optional supplementary assignment of an essay that can contribute up to 10% of

marks will be offered to students who do not do well in Assignments 1 and 2.

4.1 Assignments
Assignments will contain both specific technical problems and generic issues.
The submission dates for assignments is firm unless you have a valid medical or personal
reason. Certificates are required for medical reasons.
Submissions must reach the lecturer by 1700 on the due date and you must submit your
submissions electronically either scanned or in pdf format. Neat handwritten solutions
scanned in will be accepted.

4.2 Examination
This will be a 3 hr exam run by UCT.

5 Contact Information
You are encouraged to contact the lecturer with questions by email
([email protected]) after the short course has finished. I will try to reply to
email questions within two days. When replying to questions I may remove the identity
of the student and broadcast both the question and answer to everyone.

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 Introduction to Radar– 3-7 February 2013 Lecture Timetable
Monday February 3 Hrs
0900-1030 Introduction and Overview 1.5
POMR Chapter 1
Radar History
Overview of radar principles
Key physical attributes, Range, Doppler, Azimuth and Elevation
Overview of types of radar systems
1030-1100 Morning tea break
1100-1230 Radar Range Equation 1.5
POMR Chapter 2.1 to 2.10, 2.15, 2.16
Point target derivation
System Noise
SNR
System Losses
Search and Track implications
1230-1330 Lunch
1330-1500 Radar Waveforms Part I 1.5
POMR Chapter 8
CW
Single Pulse
Pulse Doppler
Coherent vs incoherent
Range estimation and range ambiguities
Ghosts
Sensing Doppler frequencies – Doppler ambiguities
1500-1530 Afternoon tea break
1530-1700 Tutorial and Demonstrations 1.5
Working through various problems and Matlab examples
Tuesday February 4
0900-1030 Radar Waveforms Part II 1.5
POMR Chapter 20
Pulse compression
FMCW
Phase coding
Other waveforms eg, Passive radar, noise radar
Ambiguity Function
1030-1100 Morning tea break
1100-1230 Transmitters 1.5
POMR Chapters 10 and 12
Waveform generation
Power conversion
Mixers
Duplexors
RF devices – magnetrons and travelling wavetubes
Synchronisation and Timing Issues
1230-1330 Lunch
1330-1500 Antennas and Phased Arrays 1.5
POMR Chapter 9
Radiation patterns
Beamwidth, sidelobes and gain
Antennas
Phased arrays
1500-1530 Afternoon tea break
1530-1700 Tutorial and Demonstrations 1.5
Working through various problems and Matlab examples

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Wednesday February 5
0900-1030 Propagation and Scattering 1.5
POMR Chapters 4,6 and 7
Propagation
Attenuation
Refraction, Diffraction, etc
Scattering
Radar cross-section
Target fluctuation
1030 -1100 Morning tea
1100-1230 Clutter 1.5
POMR Chapter 5
Surface and volume clutter
Airborne Radar and Clutter
Clutter and MTI
1230-1330 Lunch
1330-1500 Radar Receivers RF aspects 1.5
POMR Chapter 11
Preamplifiers
Down-conversion
Limiters
Noise Figures
1500-1530 Afternoon tea break
1530-1700 Tutorial and Demonstrations 1.5
Working through various problems and Matlab examples

Thursday Feb 6 Hrs

0900-1030 Radar Signal Processing I 1.5
POMR Chapters 14 and 17
Matched filters - general
Range processing
Doppler processing
1030-1100 Morning tea break
1100-1230 Radar Signal Processing II 1.5
POMR Chapter 9
Phase shift beamforming
Conventional beamforming
STAP
1230-1330 Lunch
1330-1500 FMCW radars 1.5
Doppler effect
FMCW/Pulse compression
FMCW
Ambiguities
Examples
1500-1530 Afternoon tea break
1530-1700 Tutorial and Demonstrations 1.5
Working through various problems and Matlab examples

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Friday Feb 7
0900-1030 Radar Detection Theory 1.5
POMR Chapters 3.3,15 and 16.2
Detection Principles
Statistical Detection Theory
Pulse Envelope Detector
Integration
CFAR
Swerling Models
1030-1100 Morning tea
1100-1230 Parameter Estimation and Tracking Radars 1.5
POMR Chapters 18, 18.9, 9.5
Key basics of estimation theory
Range accuracy
Frequency estimation
Direction of arrival
Tracking radars – lobing and monopulse
1230-1330 Lunch
1330-1500 Synthetic Aperture Radar 1.5
POMR Chapter 21
Cross-range resolution
Synthetic aperture
1500-1530 Afternoon tea break
1530-1700 Tutorial and Demonstrations 1.5
Working through various problems and Matlab examples