Detection of Complex Point Targets in a MIMO Radar System With Distributed Assets and Partially Correlated Signals

A complex point target is a mathematical model for a radar target that is not resolved in space, but exhibits varying complex reflectivity across different bistatic view angles. The complex reflectivity can be modeled as a complex stochastic process whose index set is the set of all bistatic view angles, and the parameters of this stochastic process follow from an analysis of a target model comprising a number of ideal point scatterers randomly located within some radius of the targets center of mass. Six different models are summarized here, with different assumed distributions on the locations of the point scatterers within the target. We develop data models for the received signals from such targets in a MIMO radar systems with distributed assets and partially correlated signals, and consider the resulting detection problem. The problem reduces to the familiar Gauss-Gauss detection problem with hypoexponential test statistic. A related problem of adapting the transmitted signals to the target model is discussed.