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Radar

The Radar Library is used primarily for performing radar system performance analysis. It can be thought of as an extension of the Communications Library, since it shares many of its classes and interfaces. For example, the Radar Library shares all of the radio frequency (RF) antenna gain patterns and propagation models with the Communications Library. Radar analysis is performed in a very similar manner as communications analysis, by modeling the signal processing behavior of the radar transmitter and receiver hardware, antenna gain patterns, the effects of wireless propagation, the impact of target attitude-dependent cross section, and the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI). The library provides an extensible, open architecture which allows users to insert custom implementations virtually anywhere throughout a given radar system. The outputs of the analysis are scalar values which are metrics for radar system performance, such as integrated signal-to-noise ratio, probability of detection, etc. These metrics can be used in order to determine access time intervals for which the metric satisfies a given threshold value. Also, the metrics can be used as figures of merit for coverage analysis using the Spatial Analysis Library.

Note Note

The functionality described in this topic requires a license for the Radar Library and the Communications Library.

There are several key areas of the Radar Library:

  • Signals and SignalProcessors - A SignalProcessor represents an abstract process which changes the properties of a set of signals. Usually, each instance models a particular kind of electrical circuit used to process a set of signals from either a data source or a receiving antenna. Examples include amplifiers, filters, mixers, modulators, and demodulators.

  • Platforms and Antennas - Platforms are generalized objects which can represent the position and orientation of a given device or craft. In this case, platforms are used to represent antennas by specifying a position and orientation as well as additional models such as an antenna gain pattern.

  • Radar Targets - Radar targets are platforms that provide the ability to model an incident radar signal's reflection back to the radar receiver.

  • Wireless Propagation - A link represents a connection between two platforms and provides services which can be used by constraints and figures of merit. A wireless link is distinguished by the presence of wireless propagation models, which determine how to modify signal properties as a function of the link geometry and time delay.

  • Single Target Radar Link Scalars - Similar to the CommunicationLinkScalar in the Communications Library, the SingleTargetRadarLinkScalar types are the fundamental way of producing radar data products in the Radar Library.

  • Code Sample - A detailed code example for a monostatic radar, tracking a target aircraft with interference from a secondary radar system.