Coherent Properties of K-Distributed Sea Clutter

A model based on a compound formulation of the K-distribution describing the amplitude and correlation statistics of coherently detected radar backscatter from the sea surface is proposed. In this paper it is shown how this model provides an excellent fit to the amplitudes of individual range-doppler spectral components. This indicates that the distribution of such amplitudes is wider than that expected from a Gaussian type process [1]. In addition, the correlation properties of individual range-doppler spectral components are shown to be related to the two components from which the K-distribution is derived. The implications this has for radar performance prediction are discussed.