The authors present a comprehensive research tutorial on the ambiguity function (AF) of eigenwaveform for extended targets compared to AFs of common radar waveforms (e.g. wideband and pulsed waveforms). They present new findings of AF properties that contradict classical AF results for the point target assumption. It is shown that the AF properties (peak and volume) for an extended target are not constant thereby contradicting AF properties of waveforms for a point target. They investigate corresponding AFs and note many advantages (or few disadvantages) of using eigenwaveform compared to classical wideband and rectangular-pulsed waveforms. They investigate unambiguous range, range resolution, Doppler resolution, and detection probability of various waveforms for insightful engineering trade-offs. For illustration, they utilise two extended target models to show that these parameters are not only functions of the transmit waveform but also of the nature of the target. They use both single-pulse and pulse-train waveforms to produce AFs to illustrate the effect on Doppler and range ambiguities and resolutions. Finally, they investigate range-Doppler map (RDM) applications of the traditional waveforms and compared them with eigenwaveform RDM. They conclude that the eigenwaveform is superior in probability of detection and Doppler considerations compared to wideband and rectangular waveforms.

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Comparison of ambiguity function of eigenwaveform to wideband and pulsed radar waveforms: a comprehensive tutorial

References

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