Real-time Signal Processing in FM-CW Doppler-polarimetric Radar

An FM-CW Doppler-polarimetric radar is configured to measure the distance, radial velocity, and the complex scattering parameters of radar targets. The Doppler spectra are determined per range cell by applying an FFT to a series of range spectra. With a cyclic pattern of polarisation pairs in the transmitting and receiving channels, a Doppler spectrum is derived for each of the polarisation pairs. The complex scattering parameters are extracted using linear regression from these Doppler spectra. This approach results into the availability of the scattering parameters per range cell and per Doppler velocity cell. The processing algorithm has been implemented in the FM-CW Delft Atmospheric Research Radar (DARR). The paper discusses the processing algorithm with emphasis on real-time implementation.