1

Computationally-Efficient Range-Dependence
Compensation Method for Bistatic Radar STAP
Fabian D. Lapierre* and Jacques G. Verly†
*Royal Military Academy, Departement of Electrical Engineering, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
†University of Liège, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
f_lapierre@fastmail.fm, Jacques.Verly@ulg.ac.be

Abstract— We address the problem of detecting slow-moving

targets using space-time adaptive processing (STAP). The con-
struction of the optimum weights at each range implies the
estimation of the interference-plus-noise covariance matrix. This
is typically done by straight averaging of snapshots at neighbor-
ing ranges. However, in most bistatic configurations, snapshot
statistics are range dependent. Straight averaging results thus
in poor performance. In an earlier paper, we proposed a
range-dependence compensation method that provides optimum
performance. However, this implies a large computational cost. In
this paper, we adapt the method to provide optimum performance Fig. 1. BS radar configuration. (a) Transmitter (T ) - receiver (R) -
at low computational cost. scatterer (S) geometry and related parameters. (b) Receiver antenna (A) and
related angles.
Index Terms— Radar, space-time adaptive processing, bistatic

module. The EP methods rely on an additional “configuration-

I. I NTRODUCTION
We consider a space-time adaptive processing (STAP) radar
using an array of N antenna elements and a coherent train of
M pulses and operating in a bistatic (BS) configuration, i.e.,
with physically-separated transmitter and receiver. BS radar
systems are currently receiving increasing attention [2], [3].
The data collected by a STAP radar can be viewed as a
sequence of M N × 1 vectors, called “snapshots.” Implement-
ing the optimum STAP processor generally involves inverting
the covariance matrix (CM) of the snapshots. This matrix is
typically estimated by averaging the CMs of single-snapshot
at neighboring ranges. However, in virtually all BS configura-
tions, the snapshots’ statistics change with range. This results
in a loss of performance. The variation of the snapshots’
statistics with range is referred to as the “range-dependence
(RD) problem.” One of the most visible manifestations of the
RD problem is the deformation with range of the 2D clutter
power spectrum density (PSD). The support of this clutter
ridge is the “direction-Doppler (DD)” curve.
In [4], we proposed a registration-based RD compensation
method that computes the CM at a reference range gate l
by averaging properly-transformed single-snapshot CMs at
a series of neighboring range gates k. This transformation,
guided by analytical formulas describing DD curves, aims at
bringing the clutter ridge at k into registration with that at
l. We distinguished between “true-parameters (TP)” methods,
which assume exact knowledge of the configuration param-
eters, and “estimated-parameters (EP)” methods, which esti-
mate the parameters from the data. The methods in each class
rely on a common “registration-based compensation (RBC)”
parameters estimation (CPE)” module. For further information
on the CPE module, the reader is referred to [5], [4], [6], where
two different realizations of the CPE module are described.
The realization of the RBC module proposed in [4], [7] was
shown to provide optimum detection performance. However,
achieving such performance implied a high computational
load. In this paper, we propose a new realization of the RBC
module that provides optimum detection performance with
a low computational load compared to that of the method
proposed in [4], [7].
II. B ISTATIC R ADAR - MEASURMENT CONFIGURATION
The BS configuration geometry is shown in Fig. 1. The
transmitter T is at the center of an (x, y, z) coordinate system.
The x-axis points in the same direction as the velocity vector
v T of T . The z-axis points vertically up. The receiver R is
located at (xR , yR , zR ). Its velocity vector v R is assumed to
be horizontal and to make an angle αR with respect to (wrt)
v T . The horizontal linear antenna A is located at R and makes
an angle δ wrt v R . The BS range Rb to some scatterer S is
the distance from T to S to R. The angular position of S
wrt to s is denoted by ξs . The ground is assumed to be a
horizontal plane at z = −H. All scatterers corresponding to
ground clutter are thus located in this plane. The magnitudes
of v T and v R are denoted by vT and vR , respectively. Any BS
configuration is fully characterized by the vector of parameters
θ = (xR , yR , zR , αR , δ, vT , vR , H). (1)
 (xR , yR , zR ) = (100, 0, 0) (xR , yR , zR ) = (0, 100, 0)
αR = 0, δ = 0 αR = 0, δ = 0 0.5
0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

0.4 0.4
0.4
0.3 0.3

0.2 0.2 0.3

0.1 0.1

0.2

νd
0
νd

0 0 0

−0.1 −0.1

0.1
−0.2 −0.2

−0.3

−0.4
−0.3

−0.4
νd 0
(a) -0.5 (b)
-0.5−0.5 −0.5
−0.1
-0.5
−0.5 −0.4 −0.3 −0.2 −0.1
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
0.5
0.5
-0.5−0.5 −0.4 −0.3 −0.2 −0.1
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
0.5
0.5

νs νs
−0.2
(xR , yR , zR ) = (0, 100, 0) (xR , yR , zR ) = (80, 50, 20)
αR = 90, δ = 0 αR = 35, δ = 60 −0.3
0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

0.4 0.4 −0.4

0.3 0.3

0.2 0.2 −0.5

−0.5 −0.4 −0.3 −0.2 −0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
0.1 0.1

νs
νd

νd

0 0 0 0

−0.1 −0.1

−0.2 −0.2

−0.3 −0.3
Fig. 3. Example of 2D flow lines obtained by projecting 3D flow lines in
−0.4

(c)
−0.4

(d) the (νs , νd )-plane for the configuration of Fig. 2(d).

-0.5−0.5 -0.5 −0.5

-0.5 0 0.5
−0.5 −0.4 −0.3 −0.2 −0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
-0.5
−0.5 −0.4 −0.3 −0.2 −0.1 0
0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
0.5
0.5

νs νs

Fig. 2. Example DD curves for four BS configurations and four ranges (170, 350
350
350
350

210, 250, and 400 km). Parameters specific to each configuration are listed 300
300

at the top of the graphs. Units of xR , yR , and zR are km; units of αR and Rb
250
Rb
δ are degrees. Common parameters are H = −50 km and vR = vT = 90 250
200

m/s. 200
150
150

150150 0.5
0.5

0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5

00 0.5
0.5
νs
III. D IRECTION -D OPPLER CURVES AND SURFACES νs
00 0
0

νd 0
0

νd
-0.5 (a) -0.5 -0.5
−0.5 −0.5 (b)
-0.5
−0.5 −0.5

The three important physical parameters associated with

each scatterer S are Rb , ξs , and the relative velocity vr . The
related parameters that are more directly measured from the Fig. 4. Example DD surfaces generated using (a) DD curves and (b) flow
radar returns are the roundtrip delay τrt , the spatial frequency lines, for BS Config. of Fig. 2(d). Rb varies from 152 km to 350 km.
fs , and the Doppler frequency fd . For a stationary S, τrt =
Rb /c, fs = cos ξs /λc , and fd = vr /λc , where λc is the carrier
wavelength and c is the speed of light. value of ψ. Figure 3 shows example projection of 3D flow
lines in the (νs , νd )-plane. As Rb increases, we move along
A. 2D “direction-Doppler (DD)” curves each particular flow line.
All scatterers S characterized by the same R b are located
on an isorange surface, which is an ellipsoid of revolution C. 3D “direction-Doppler (DD)” surface
with foci at T and R. The intersection of this surface with the The DD surface is the surface obtained by stacking DD
ground is an isorange curve, which is an ellipse (parameterized curves for successive values of Rb , as shown in Fig. 4(a) for
with the polar angle ψ). the configuration of Fig. 2(d). The DD surface can also be
For any given configuration and range, all stationary scat- generated by “sweeping” the 3D (νs , νd , Rb )-space with the
terers S at this range map onto a curve showing the relation flow lines for all values of ψ, as shown in Fig. 4(b).
between fs and fd for any such S. This curve is called
a “direction-Doppler (DD)” curve. DD curves are typically
represented in terms of the normalized spatial frequency IV. S NAPSHOTS AND OPTIMUM PROCESSOR
νs = (λc /2)fs and the normalized Doppler frequency νd = In each coherent processing interval, a coherent train of
(λc /2(vR + vT ))fd . Figure 2 shows that BS DD curves vary M pulses is transmitted from T . The returns are sensed at
significantly with configuration and range. The variation of each of the N elements of the linear antenna array A at R.
these curves with range for any particular configuration is one Finally, the sensed returns are sampled at a number of discrete
of the most visible manifestations of the RD problem. ranges (called range gates) covering the range interval of
To derive the equations of BS DD curves, we express ν s interest. Ranges are indexed with l ∈ L = {0, 1, . . . , L − 1}.
and νd in terms of ψ, i.e., νs = g1 (ψ) and νd = g2 (ψ). The We regard the data as a sequence of M × N 2D arrays
derivation of the gi (ψ)’s is lengthy and thus omitted. (snapshots) at successive ranges l. The snapshot corresponding
to a specific l or Rb and to a single scatterer S characterized by
B. 3D flow lines specific parameters (Rb , νs , νd ) can be written as the M N × 1
Using the pair of equations νs = g1 (ψ) and νd = g2 (ψ), vector [8]
we can compute the “flow line” corresponding to each discrete y(νs , νd ) = βr v(νs , νd ), (2)
where |βr | is found from the radar equation and v(νs , νd ) is
the M N × 1 steering vector
v(νs , νd ) = b(νd ) ⊗ a(νs ),
where ⊗ is the Kronecker product, a(νs ) is the N × 1 spatial
steering vector, and b(νd ) is the M × 1 temporal steering
vector. For uniform linear arrays, we have
a(νs ) = (1 . . . ej2πνs n . . . ej2πνs (N −1) )T
b(νd ) = (1 . . . ej2πνd m . . . ej2πνd (M −1) )T .
The target snapshot y t is given by Eq. (2), where we use the
appropriate target parameters (Rbt , νst , νdt ). The clutter snapshot
y c is found by integrating y(νs , νd ) over the isorange curve,
i.e.,
Z 2π
y c (νs , νd ) = βc (ψ) v(νs (ψ), νd (ψ)) dψ.
0 transformed Py,k (U, V )’s at k ∈ Sl . We thus have
Since βc (ψ) is a stochastic process, y c is a stochastic vector.
We assume that it is wide-sense stationary wrt space and time.
It is thus characterized by a constant CM R c = E{y c y †c }.
where SINR0 is the SINR in the absence of clutter. Optimum
performance is achieved for w = w o . Performance is de-
graded by losses due to the estimation of the I+N CM and to
(3)
inappropriate handling of the RD problem.
V. P RINCIPLE OF OUR REGISTRATION - BASED
RANGE - DEPENDENCE COMPENSATION METHOD
(4) Since the RD is most visible in the spectral domain (via
(5) the deformation of the clutter ridge), we perform the RD
compensation in this domain. The idea is to deform the clutter
PSD Py,k (U, V ) at each range k ∈ Sl to bring its clutter ridge
into registration with that of the PSD at reference range l.
Because of the direct relation between clutter ridges and DD
curves, we can also think in terms of DD curves. The PSD
estimate Py,l
a
(U, V ) at l is found by averaging the properly
(6)
a 1 X 0
Py,l (U, V ) = Py,k (U, V ), (10)
Nl
k∈Sl

Jammer snapshots are not considered here. The noise snapshot where
y n is assumed to be spatially and temporally white. The 0
Py,k P
(U, V ) = Tkl [Py,k (U, V )] , (11)
important quantity in STAP is the interference-plus-noise
(I+N) snapshot y q = y c + y n , characterized by the I+N CM where Tkl P
[ . ] is the transformation to be found that will bring
the clutter ridge of Py,k (U, V ) into registration with that of
Rq = E{y q y †q }.
Py,l (U, V ). Below, we do not provide an analytical expression
The weight vector that maximizes the output signal-to-
for Tkl
P
[ . ]. Instead, we provide algorithms, described using
interference-plus-noise (SINR) is [9]
block diagrams, that implement Tkl P
[ . ].
wo (νs , νd ) = αR−1
q
v(νs , νd ), (7) The space-time equivalent of Eqs. (10) and (11), which
a
where α is an arbitrary complex constant. The output of the relates the y k ’s to the estimate R̂l of Rl is obtained as fol-
a
processor is the complex scalar z = w †o (νs , νd ) y, where y lows. R̂l is obtained by applying an “inverse PSD” operation,
is the received snapshot for a particular range. Its magnitude denoted by the PSD-1 { . } operator, to P a (U, V ) of Eq. (10),
y,l
is compared to a threshold to determine whether a target is i.e.,
 a
R̂l = PSD-1 Py,l
a
absent or present at the triplet (νs , νd , Rb ) of interest. (U, V ) .
In practice, Rq has to be estimated from the data. A typical
estimate is [8] A realization of the PSD-1 { . } operator is proposed in Sec-
1 X tion VII, This operator is chosen to be linear.
R̂q (l) = R̃q (k) with R̃q (k) = y q (k)y †q (k), (8) The Py,k (U, V )’s are obtained by applying a spectral esti-
Nl
k∈Sl
mation technique, denoted by PSD{ . }, to the y k ’s, i.e.,
where Nl is the number of snapshots used for estimation, S l is n o
the set of snapshot indices used for the estimation, and y q (k) Py,k (U, V ) = PSD y k . (12)
is the I+N snapshot at range k. R̂q (l) is “maximum likelihood”
only if the y q (k)’s are independent and identically distributed Finally, using the linearity of the PSD-1 { . } operator and
(i.i.d.) wrt range and each have complex Gaussian probability Eqs. (12) and (10), we have
density functions [10]. Unfortunately, in virtually all BS confi-  a 1 X  0
R̂l = PSD-1 Py,l PSD-1 Py,k
a
gurations, the y q (k)’s are not i.i.d. wrt range! One of the (U, V ) = (U, V )
Nl
k∈Sl
clearest manifestations of this is the variation with range of
the clutter ridge in the clutter PS. or
If no RD compensation is performed, the estimate of Eq. (8) a 1 X 0
provides poor performance. The goal of any RD compensation R̂l = R̂k (13)
Nl
method is to produce the best possible estimate of R q (l) based k∈Sl
on the available data. with
The performance of a processor using a weight w is n h n oio h i
R̂k = PSD-1 Tkl
0 P R
measured by the SINR loss defined as [8] PSD y k = Tkl yk , (14)
 † 2
SINR w v 
SINRL = = , (9) where applying Tkl R
[ . ] to y k , k ∈ Sl , has exactly the same
SINR0 (w Rq w)(v † v)
†
final effect as applying Tkl P
[ . ] to Py,k (U, V ), k ∈ Sl .
 {y |l ∈ L} {y |l ∈ L} {y |l ∈ L}
k l k In Fig. VI, this implies that the (Up , Vq ) peak locations at
the output of the “interpolation” operation do not lie exactly
Configuration-parameters
estimation (CPE) on the corresponding DD curve at l. Indeed, these peaks are
located on a N ×M grid and cannot thus be all located exactly
Registration-based Registration-based
θ compensation (RBC) b
θ
compensation (RBC) on the corresponding DD curve. This induces errors in the
estimation of Rl .
a
{R̂ |l ∈ L}
l
a
{R̂ |l ∈ L}
l
To reduce the picket-fence effect, we can increase the
(a) True-parameters (TP) methods (b) Estimated-parameters (EP) methods number of discrete frequencies where the periodogram is com-
puted by zero-padding. Even if this solution leads to optimum
Fig. 5. Comparison of architectures of (a) true-parameters (TP) methods and detection performance [4], it implies a huge computational
of (b) estimated-parameters (EP) methods. Whereas TP methods use the true cost. Below, we propose a more appealing solution.
value of θ, EP methods use an estimate θ̂ of θ. TP and EP methods both rely
on a common registration-based compensation (RBC) module. EP methods
also rely on a generic configuration-parameters estimation (CPE) module. VII. N EW COMPUTATIONALLY- EFFICIENT RBC MODULE
y
k
0
R̂ Figure 7 shows the block diagram of the new realization of
k
the RBC module. Below, we describe the operations involved
Expansion
in this block diagram.
2D IFFT a) Tuned periodogram: At the input of the RBC module
and zero-
padding
we can compute the corresponding DD curve at each range,
Conversion
since we know θ or its estimate θ̂. We thus know the exact
Periodogram Configuration-parameters vector θ or b
θ from Γ to R
or approximate locus of the PSD peaks prior to computing
the PSD estimate! We can thus compute a 2D “discrete-time”
Peak Mapping Interpolation Fourier transform (DTFT) tuned to a number of frequency
extraction (1) from range k in the (U, V )-
at range k to range l plane pairs (UC , VC ) located exactly on the DD curve. We thus have

 2
 N −1 M −1 
Fig. 6. Realization of the R[ . ] operator in Eq. (14) used in RBC module
1 X X 
Tkl Py,k (UC , VC ) =  yk (n, m) e−j2π(nUC +mVC )  ,
proposed in [7]. NM  
n=0 m=0
(15)
where (UC , VC ) is a point that lies on the DD curve C
We consider two classes of methods. The “true-parameters corresponding to θ and k. Thus, we compute a periodogram
(TP)” methods assume that θ is known exactly and the tuned to each (U, V ) point located on C, hence the term
“estimated-parameters (EP)” methods estimate θ from the “tuned periodogram.” Equation (15) must then be computed
snapshots. The general architecture of each class of methods is for all points distributed along C. In practice, we only compute
shown in Fig. 5. All methods rely on a common “registration- Eq. (15) at a number JC of (UC , VC ) points at each k ∈ Sl .
based compensation (RBC)” module. This module performs Recall that any DD curve can be expressed parametrically
the transformation Tkl R
[ . ] of Eq. (14), using either θ or in terms of ψ. Hence, we discretize the angle ψ into J C angles
its estimate θ̂. EP methods also require a “configuration- ψj = ψ0 + j∆ψ, j = 0, . . . , JC − 1, where ∆ψ = 2π/JC .
parameters estimation (CPE)” module to produce θ̂ from all The jth (UC,j , VC,j ) point is thus given by
the snapshots.
Realizations of the RBC module are presented in Sec- (UC,j , VC,j ) = (νs (ψj ), νd (ψj )). (16)
tions. VI and VII. Two realizations of the CPE module are
The input of the tuned periodogram at k is thus the set S pl,k
C
proposed in [5], [4], [6].
of JC DD curve locations (UC,j (k), VC,j (k)) where the PS is
to be estimated, i.e.,
VI. THE “ PICKET- FENCE ” EFFECT
The realization of the TklR
[ . ] operator in Eq. (14) used in C
Spl,k = {(UC,0 (k), VC,0 (k)), . . . , (UC,JC −1 (k), VC,JC −1 (k))} .
RBC module proposed in [7] is shown in Fig. 6 for one y k . (17)
Assume that the input y k is not padded with zeros. Ob- The output of the tuned periodogram at k is the
serving the discrete output of the “periodogram” operation, set Spa,k
C
of JC amplitudes of the extracted peak,
denoted by Py,k (U, V ), is analogous to looking at the true i.e., Py,k (UC,j (k), VC,j (k)), corresponding to the locations
PSD through a “picket-fence,” since we can observe the exact (UC,j (k), VC,j (k)) in Spl,k
C
, i.e.,
behavior of Py,k (U, V ) only at discrete points (Up , Vq ). The
largest values of a particular spectrum could thus lie between C
Spa,k = {Py,k (UC,0 (k), VC,0 (k)), . . . ,
two of these discrete frequencies. This is the picket-fence Py,k (UC,JC −1 (k), VC,JC −1 (k))} (18)
effect. The true frequencies where the major peaks lie are
thus not garanteed to correspond to the discrete frequencies The “tuned periodogram” operation at each k ∈ S l takes
for which Py,k (U, V ) is computed. the set Spl,k
C
as input and produces the set Spa,k
C
as output.
 y
lN
l

Tuned
periodogram

l y
und l+

aro C
Spl,l
Nl
C
, Spa,l
Nl
p
Ga Tuned
periodogram

y C C
l− Spl,l + , Spa,l+

Tuned Mapping to l Computation

periodogram + averaging C C a
of Py,l (U, V )
Spl,l , Spa,l
Computation
a
y of R̂
l1
C C Configuration-parameters vector θ or b
θ l,v
Spl,l − , Spa,l− R̂
a
l,v
Tuned Conversion
periodogram a I
from R̂ to R̂
l,v l

a
C C R̂
Spl,l , Spa,l l
1 1

Fig. 7. Generic block diagram of the new computationally-efficient realization of the RBC module. Range gate l 1 corresponds to the index of the smallest
range gate in Sl . l− and l+ are the range gates in Sl just below and just above the guard cells, respectively. lNl corresponds to the index of the longest range
gate in Sl .

b) Mapping to l + averaging:: The Nl pairs of sets Spl,k C

set Spl,l
C
. The value of Py,la
(U, V ) at a (U, V ) point in Spl,l
C
,
and Spa,k
C
are the input of the “mapping to l + averaging” say (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)), is equal to the corresponding value in
operation. The output of this operation consists of the pair of the set Spa,l
C
, i.e., Py,k (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)).
a
sets Spl,l
C
and Spa,l
C
that contain the peak locations and the d) Computation of R̂l,v : This operation computes the
peak amplitudes at l, respectively. estimate of the representation of the CM in the (U, V )-plane,
a
Consider the jth point (UC,j (k), VC,j (k)) in Spl,k C
for each denoted by R̂l,v , from Py,l a
(U, V ), using a relation we have
k ∈ Sl . These Nl points thus correspond to the same value of derived,
ψ, say ψj , and they are thus located on the same flow line. The  a  PJC −1 1 a
jth value in the set Spl,lC
at l, denoted by (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)), is R̂
l,v
=γ j=1 ∆Cj
Py,l (UC,j (l), VC,j (l))
thus also on the flow line corresponding to ψj , but is located 
Vp N +Uq , Vr N +Us
Vp


  Uq



sin πM −VC,j (l) sin πN N −UC,j (l)
at l instead of at k. Vp
M


Uq



sin π −V C,j (l) −UC,j (l)
We denote by Py,l (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)) the jth element in Spa,l C
.  M
Vr


  sin π NU



sin πM −V C,j (l) sin πN Ns −UC,j (l)
This value denotes the amplitude associated with the jth
M
Vr


U


,
sin π −VC,j (l) sin π s −UC,j (l)
peak in Spl,l
C
, i.e., (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)). Py,kl (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)) is M N

obtained by averaging the peak amplitudes that are located on

N −1 M −1
where γ = e−jπ[ ] /N M and ∆C is
N (Uq −Us )+ M (Vr −Vp )
j
the flow line corresponding to ψj and that correspond to the the distance, along C, between the point (UC,j−1 (l), VC,j−1 (l))
k’s in Sl . Thus, Py,l (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)) is obtained by averaging and the point (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)). The demonstration of this
the jth element in the sets Spa,k C
for all k ∈ Sl . We thus have expression is lengthy and isa thus omitted.
a a
1 X e) Conversion from R̂l,v to R̂l : We convert R̂l,v to the
Py,l (UC,j (l), VC,j (l)) = Py,k (UC,j (k), VC,j (k)), estimate of the CM in the space-time domain (or in the (n, m)-
Nl a
k∈Sl
plane), i.e., R̂l , using the following equation
for j = 0, . . . , JC − 1. Thus, at the output of the “mapping a a
to l + averaging” operation, we have R̂l = V † R̂l,v V , (19)
where V contains the coefficient of the 2D DFT.
C
Spl,l = {(UC,0 (l), VC,0 (l)), . . . , (UC,JC −1 (l), VC,JC −1 (l))}
C VIII. P ERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Spa,l = {Py,k (UC,0 (l), VC,0 (l)), . . . ,
Py,k (UC,JC −1 (l), VC,JC −1 (l))} . Below, we evaluate the performance of the TP method using
the new realization of the RBC module of Section VII. This
c) Computation of Py,l a
(U, V ): Here, we compute the method is denoted by E-TP with “E” standing for efficient.
estimate Py,l
a
(U, V ) from the two sets Spl,l
C
and Spa,l
C
. In fact, The TP method using the realization of the RBC module of
a
Py,l (U, V ) is zero except for the (U, V ) points that are in the Section VI is simply denoted by TP.
 SINRL
0
−5
−10
SINRL (dB)
−15
−20
−25
−30
— TP
−35
- - E-TP
-. OP
−40
−0.5 −0.4 −0.3 −0.2 −0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3
νd
Fig. 8. Performance in terms of SINR-loss curves of the E-TP method for
the configuration of Fig. 2(a). OP is shown as a reference. For E-TP and TP,
the performance shown corresponds to 16 snapshots, i.e., Nl = 16.
A. End-to-end performance
We begin by considering the end-to-end performance of the
E-TP and TP methods in terms of SINR-loss curves. These
curves are shown in Fig. 8. We see that E-TP has much better
performance than that of TP. Indeed, the SINR-loss curves for
the E-TP method and the OP are undistinguishable. The E-TP
method thus provides near-optimum detection performance.
This increase in performance results from the suppression of
the influence of the picket-fence effect discussed in Section VI.
B. Influence of the number JC of (νs , νd ) points taken along
the DD curve
A parameter that influences the performance of the E-TP
method is the number JC of (νs , νd ) points where the “tuned
periodogram” is computed. Recall that these J C points are
taken along the DD curve. Below, we study the effect of the
value of JC on the performance of the E-TP method. Since
an increase in JC implies an increase of the computational
load, it is crucial to find the minimum value of J C that
provides optimal detection performance! Figure 9 shows the
effect of JC on the performance of the E-TP method. We see
that the minimum value of JC providing performance that is
undistinguishable from that of the OP is approximately 50.
C. Influence of the size Nl of the sample support
Simulations show that the value of Nl has no influence
on the performance of the E-TP method. Optimum detection
performance is thus possible with only two snapshots!
IX. C ONCLUSION
The range-dependence (RD) problem in STAP originates
from the dependence of the snapshots’ statistics upon range.
Its clearest manifestation is the deformation with range of
the power spectrum. The usual maximum-likelihood estimate
of the interference-plus-noise covariance matrix thus leads
to poor detection performance. Therefore, RD compensation
methods have to be developed. In [4], [7], we introduced a
5
Number of samples, JC
1510
25 20
3530
45 40
5550
6560
75
0.4 0.5 -0.5 20 40 60 80
0
100 120 140 160 180
0.5
200
νd
Fig. 9. Illustration of the influence of the number JC of (νs , νd ) samples
where the “tuned periodogram” is computed for the E-TP method. Each row
corresponds to an SINR curve (at a constant νs ) shown in terms of color.
Successive rows, from top to bottom, correspond to increasing values of J C .
All plots were generated with 16 snapshots, i.e., Nl = 16.
registration-based method based on the registration of clutter
ridges at each range. In [4], we showed that this method
provides optimum detection performance. However, achieving
such performance induced a high computational load. In this
paper, we adapted the method of [4], [7] to achieve optimum
detection performance with a low computational load as
compared to that of the method of [4], [7]. The performance of
the method was evaluated in detail and found to be excellent.
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