Studies of Target Detection Algorithms That Use Polarimetric Radar Data

This report describes algorithms which make use of polarimetric radar information in the detection and discrimination of targets in a ground clutter background. The optimal polarimetric detector (OPD) is derived; this algorithm processes the complete polarization scattering matrix (PSM) and provides the best possible detection performance from polarimetric radar data. Also derived is the best linear polarimetric detector, the polarimetric matched filter (PMF), and the structure of this detector is related to simple polarimetric target types. New polarimetric target and clutter models are described; these models are used to predict the performance of the OPD and the PMF. The performance of these algorithms is compared with that of simpler detectors that use only amplitude information to detect targets. Finally, the ability to discriminate between target types by exploiting differences in polarimetric scattering properties is discussed.