High Resolution Measurements and Characterization of Urban, Suburban and Country Clutter at X-Band and Related Radar Calibration

At Tor Vergata University we are working on measurements and phenomenological characterization of urban, suburban and country radar clutter at X-band (3 cm wavelength, range resolution 8 to 10 m, azimuth resolution @ 1 km about 23.5 m) and on the related radar calibration problems. Measurements are “high resolution” when compared to most surveillance radars, and the related applications are in the frame of clutter maps for cognitive radar, drones detection, radar ornithology, and more. After calibration, done using opportunity targets with known radar cross section and a clutter fence, we carry on an analysis and a comparison of land clutter, considering different weather conditions: dry and wet soil, as well as the rare event of snow. Using fixed opportunity targets, such as lamppost and/or a large cylindrical steel tanker, we describe the attenuation effects due to the natural clutter fence (in this case due to cane thicket near to the target position) and its mitigation when the natural fence is gradually removed. Finally, but importantly, we analyze the multipath phenomenon due to reflection/scattering on ground, and propose a procedure to estimate the multipath factor and to correct for it.