Radar resolution properties of pulse trains

Abstract

The concept of pulse compression has stimulated interest in the range and Doppler resolution properties of radar signals, but most of the theoretical investigations to date have been concerned with single pulse signals. The properties of coherent pulse trains, a practically important class of radar signals, have not received adequate treatment in the literature. Little information appears to be available on pulse trains using pulse-to-pulse waveform coding, frequency shifting, or repetition period staggering. The present paper attempts to fill a gap in the radar literature by analyzing the resolution potential of pulse trains. The treatment is limited to the practical class of pulse trains where all component pulses have identical envelopes and bandwidths, but the waveforms under these envelopes, frequency bands and repetition interval are left arbitrary. The results of the study convey an understanding of the effects of pulse train coding and thus give a clear indication of both the potential and the limitations of pulse trains in radar applications.