Target Detection and Localization Using Frequency Domain Sparse Radar

This paper investigates the applicability of sparsity in the frequency domain of an FMCW radar to detect targets and clutters in a real-world experimental setup. The radar module used for the experiments was the AWR1843BOOST by Texas Instruments. The goal of this manuscript is to verify that the step-frequency FMCW radar with missing frequency samples, which essentially corresponds to sparsity in the frequency domain can be used effectively for target detection using the Range-Doppler (RD) map. The RD-map not only provides information about the relative location of the targets but also provides insight if the targets of interest are in motion. Since the radar module consists of antenna arrays, it is also possible to employ direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation techniques for estimating the angle (or bearing) of the measurement scenario objects.