A Model for the Ionospheric Clutter in HFSWR Radar

In order to find an effective arithmetic which can suppress the useless ionospheric clutter in a surface wave radar system, a new model for the ionospheric clutter is proposed here. Using the multiple phase-screen method used for the investigation of the HF wave propagation, the amplitude and phase scintillation of the ionospheric clutter can be obtained. Using the results of the multiple phase-screen method and considering the altitudinal change of the reflect-point, a model for the ionospheric clutter is given. Then, the experimentally derived data of the ionospheric clutter in a practical radar system are analyzed. The statistical results of the experimentally derived data prove the validity of the model for the ionospheric clutter.