Abstract:

For the issue that the detection performance of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar based space-time adaptive processing (STAP) is sensitive to the parameter estimation error such that the detection probability robustness is rather poor, a joint robust design method for the transmit waveform and receive weight is proposed. The mathematical expression for the output signal-inference-noise ratio (SINR) of MIMO-STAP is firstly derived, and then the estimation error model of the space-time-frequency steering vector of the target can be constructed. With the constraints of the obtained error model, waveform constant modulus property, as well as sidelobe and clutter suppression, under the criterion of maximizing the worst-case output SINR, the joint robust optimization problem of transmit waveform covariance matrix and receive weight is formulated to improve the detection probability of MIMO-STAP. To solve the resultant sophisticated nonlinear optimization issue, an iterative approach is developed here. Each step of the developed method can be recast as a semidefinite programming problem, and hence it can be solved effectively. Compared to the existing state-of-the-art robust and non-robust methods as well as uncorrelated waveforms, the proposed method, it is shown by simulation, can improve the robustness of the detection probability of MIMO-STAP considerably.

Key words: multiple-input multiple-output radar, joint robust optimization, constant mode constraint, sidelobe suppression, clutter suppression