Cognitive radar waveform design for multiple targets based on information theory

In order to make received radar echo take maximum targets information under multiple targets' circumstance, the information theoretical approach for designing transmit waveform is utilized. Firstly, it deduces the relationship between transmitting waveform and multi-target mutual information in two conditions. One condition is radar echo with only noise background and the other is with clutter in consideration. Then it obtains the optimal transmitting waveform based on maximum mutual information criterion. Transmitting waveform is designed by utilizing prior information including target spectral variance, noise power spectrum and clutter power spectrum. Simulation results demonstrate that compared with LFM signal, designed waveform based on maximum mutual information criterion can make radar echoes contain more multi-targets' information and improve radar performance as a result. Finally, correlative parameters which influence mutual information are analyzed and the conclusion is gained that mutual information is directly proportion to observation time of transmitting waveform and approximately logarithmic to transmit power. Mutual information would be raised when clutter is feebler and the highest peak of target spectral variance is more near.