Accession Number:

AD0839125

Title:

COMPARISON OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL, DECISION-THEORETIC ANTENNA PROCESSING SYSTEM AND CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS,

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

HUGHES AIRCRAFT CO CULVER CITY CA ANTENNA DEPT

Personal Author(s):

• Young, G. O.
• Howard, J. E.

Report Date:

1968-05-01

Pagination or Media Count:

117.0

Abstract:

The target-detection capability of a proposed decision-theoretic processing array is compared with that of highly sophisticated conventional arrays. The decision-theoretic system performs a multidimensional hypothesis test on the vector of outputs of the elements of the array, while the conventional radar system performs a similar, but one-dimensional, test on the summed outputs of the elements. The quality criterion used is the average risk, or the average probability of error in decision making. The test is between target present or target absent in a background of heavy ground clutter. Probability-of-error computations show that the decision-theoretic array is always superior to the conventional array. Its performance is essentially independent of the location of the target it detects targets anywhere within the field of view, requires no scanning, and is fixed relative to the vehicle that carries it. The effect on overall risk of various types of errors made in assuming a priori probability distributions, both uniform and peaked, is also considered for decision theoretic systems. The proposed system is shown to be relatively insensitive to the types of errors considered. The instrumentation of such a system is illustrated by a system block diagram developed for an a priori uniform probability distribution of target position. Author

Descriptors:

• *TARGET DISCRIMINATION)
• *TARGET ACQUISITION)
• (*ANTENNA ARRAYS
• (*SURFACE TARGETS
• RADAR ANTENNAS
• DECISION THEORY
• RADAR CLUTTER
• DETECTION
• RADAR TARGETS
• PROBABILITY
• ERRORS
• PROCESSING
• RADAR SCANNING
• STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
• OPTIMIZATION

Subject Categories:

• Electrical and Electronic Equipment
• Active and Passive Radar Detection and Equipment

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE