Nonlinear Dynamics of Sea Clutter

[摘要] We review experimental evidence for the nonlinearity of sea clutterand the role of thez-parameter or Mann-Whitney rank-sum statistic inquantifying this nonlinear behavior in the context of a hybrid AM/FM modelfor sea clutter, viewed as a cyclostationary process. An independent theoreticalderivation of the stochastic dynamics of radar scattering in a sea clutterenvironment, in terms of a pair of coupled stochastic differential equations forthe received envelope and radar cross-section (RCS), enables the identificationof nonlinearity in terms of the shape parameter for the RCS. We are ledto conclude that, from both experimental and theoretical points of view, thedynamics of sea clutter are nonlinear with a consistent degree of nonlinearitythat is determined by the sea state.

[学科分类] 电子、光学、磁材料