Statistical and spectral modelling of medium grazing angle coherent radar data

The statistical and spectral characteristics of medium grazing angle radar sea clutter data are examined. A clutter model comprised of two independent K-distributed spectral components is found to provide a good fit to observed radar clutter echo characteristics when Doppler broadening due to platform motion is considered. The two-component model is shown to be incompatible with the SIRP model which is frequently utilised for coherent detector development.