Analysis of polarimetric bistatic sea clutter using the NetRAD radar system

This study presents a comparative analysis of amplitude and Doppler spectra statistics from monostatic and bistatic sea clutter data at S-band. These data cover a range of bistatic angles from 60 degrees to 120 degrees and include simultaneous monostatic and co-polarised and cross-polarised bistatic recordings, providing direct comparison of their statistical properties. The time series of amplitude data are fitted to the compound K and K + noise distribution in the range domain and in the Doppler domain, and the variation of the shape parameter is presented for monostatic and co-polarised and cross-polarised bistatic data as an indication of the spikiness of the clutter. From the analysis of this parameter, it is shown that cross-polarised bistatic data tend to be less spiky in the range and Doppler domain than the simultaneous co-polarised bistatic data, and than the simultaneous monostatic data, which could be advantageous in terms of radar detection performance, especially for low-visibility maritime targets.