Digital image processing techniques applied to the radar detection problem

The author investigates the utility of applying to the radar detection problem several nonlinear filtering structures that have been shown to be useful in image processing. In particular, a CFAR-(constant-false-alarm-rate-)like window processing technique is described. After describing the form of this processing window and pointing out the similarities between it and both conventional CFAR and median filtering windows, the author presents performance results. Results are shown that clearly demonstrate the utility of this window in suppressing cluster and main lobe sidelobe interference. The proposed nonlinear filter structure can track narrowband signals without having to estimate filter coefficients. It can reduce the effects of both Gaussian and exponential noise. The filter is also able to greatly improve the appearance of a detected signal in wideband noise