In the last chapter, we learned that within the line of sight, in the absence of interference and competing ground return, detection range is ultimately determined by the ratio of the energy received from a target-the signal-to the energy of the background noise. We identified the principal factors which determine the signal and noise energies and became acquainted with the detection process. Building on that knowledge, in this chapter we will write a general equation for maximum detection range and analyze it to see how the individual factors we have identified influence the range. We will then narrow down to the special case of volume search. Finally, we will consider the statistical variation in detection range and see how it is accounted for.

Chapter Contents:

• General Range Equation
• What the Equation Tells Us
• Equation for Volume Search
• Fluctuations in Radar Cross Section
• Detection Probability
• Cumulative Detection Probability

Inspec keywords: statistical analysis; radar antennas

Other keywords: detection range; ground return; detection process; maximum detection range; range equation; background noise; statistical variation; radar antennas

Subjects: Single antennas; Radar equipment, systems and applications; Other topics in statistics