A SAR/GMTI moving target detection algorithm based on alpha stable distribution

Synthetic aperture radar space-time adaptive processing (SAR-STAP) is an efficient approach for ground moving target indication (GMTI). However, its performance will degrade in many complex detecting environments, due to the statistic distribution of clutter background is no more Gaussian. To remedy this, this paper proposes a new moving target detection algorithm based on alpha stable distribution for ground moving target detection in non-Gaussian clutter. In the new proposed algorithm, the Alpha stable distribution is introduced to model non-Gaussian clutter, and the fractional lower order minimum variance distortlessness response (FrMVDR) criterion is utilized to design the clutter suppression filter. As is verified by simulation as well as experimental results, detection performance of the new algorithm obviously outperforms that of the traditional SAR-STAP algorithm in the non-Gaussian clutter environment.