Optimum Polarizations for Discrimination of a Foliage-Camouflaged Target, Using Genetic Algorithms

Many realizations of foliage around a hard target are run to obtain the statistical variations of foliage and target responses. This is accomplished by using a hybrid target-foliage model, developed for the investigation of the scattering behavior of metallic targets embedded inside a forest canopy. This model is based on the coherent scattering theory of wave propagation through the foliage and an iterative physical optics approximation of scattering from the target. The model is capable of accounting for the first-order near-field interactions between the hard target and the foliage. Fully polarimetric simulation results of a foliage-camouflaged metallic target having complex geometry are generated at 2 GHz, and a polarization synthesis optimization method for improving signal-to-clutter ratio is carried out by applying genetic algorithms.