An optimal detector for moderately fluctuating targets

In the area of radar detection, only a little the attention has been paid to the study of the likelihood receiver, optimal according to the Neyman-Pearson (N-P) criterion, in the particular case in which both the target echo and the interference are Gaussian stochastic processes. The model of target echoes as sampled stochastic Gaussian processes generalizes the well-known Swerling I and II radar target models that can be regarded as limiting cases relevant respectively to a flat autocorrelation function (ACF) or to a Dirac pulse ACF. For this reason the term `moderately fluctuating target´ is used. A review of the relevant detection procedures is provided with an insight of the structure of the pertaining receiver