A theory of tracking for a dynamic radar scatterer ensemble

The mathematical basis for tracking an ensemble of dynamically independent scatterers is presented. The scatterers need not be resolvable by the observing radar and may be arbitrarily numerous. A finite state representation is established for the ensemble by associating with it an oriented abstract object, for which input-output-state relations are derived and shown to have the response separation property. Reducibility of the derived state representation is examined. Special cases of practical importance, in which system reduction is possible, are developed in detail. An example illustrating the new tracking approach is presented, using a simulated one-dimensional scatterer ensemble.