CLUTTER REMOVAL TECHNIQUES FOR THROUGH-THE WALL IMAGING RADAR

Abstract

Clutter is a major challenge in detection and identification of various targets behind the wall with Through Wall Imaging Radar (TWIR) system. Therefore, in this dissertation, main focus was to presents various clutter reduction algorithm for bettering SNR ratio in final image in the through-the wall imaging (TWI) radar system. Ingeniously developed TWIR is based on stepped frequency continuous wave (SFCW) radar principle and worked in the frequency range 1GHz to 3 GHz, due to use of stepped frequency ultra-wideband signal in radar, we can get high range resolution profile of target by which it may possible to separate targets in downrange and in cross-range. The experiment was conducted using R&S HF 907 double ridged waveguide horn antenna, connected to the Anritsu VNA MASTER MS2028C, this combination is worked as SFCW radar in mono-static mode. Since the through wall applications are such that the capability of the system to perform in real time is important, PC is interfaced with the Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and data acquisition and processing is carried out in real time. Detection and imaging of targets behind the wall is performed using Delay and Sum Beamforming Algorithm. In this work three types of clutter reduction techniques have been used on raw data, namely Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), Principal Component analysis (PCA) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA).Resulting images are analyzed and PSNR values have been calculated to find best clutter reduction technique among them.