TO RADAR SYSTEMS

THE RADAR EQUATION

threshold detection is shown in Fig. 2.6. alar
-I5n
The probability density for noise alone m. If
0.1 [Eq. (2.21)] is plotted along with that for KT/i
signal />J'
probability'of detection l\ is therefore and noise 2 is
(2.28) [Eq. incr
(2.27)] ease
This cannot be evaluated by simple with d to
means, and numerical techniques or a A/ipy1 = redu
series approximation must be used. A 3. A ce
scries approximation valid when RA/\I/O threshold the
P 1, A P \ R - A \, and terms in A ~3 and voltage prob
beyond can be neglected is' abili
ty of
exp[-(K]-/t)J/2i/'o) - a
V,-A false
alar
(2.29) m,
VT/«/»0/2 = 2.5 is shown. The the
vT - A 1 + (VT - crosshatched area to the right of I'r/^o'2 prob
+ under the curve for signal-plus-noise abili
represents the probability of detection, ty of
where the error function is defined as while the double-crosshatched area dete
under the curve for noise alone ctio
A graphic illustration of the process of
represents the probability of a false n
will be reduced also.
j
F.quation (2.29) may be used to plot a
15
family of curves relating the probability
of detection to the threshold voltage and 9 10 11 12
to the amplitude of the sine-wave signal.
Although the receiver designer prefers to .. Threshold-ro-noise rotio
operate with voltages, it is more Figure 2.5 Average time between false
convenient for the radar system engineer alarms as a function of the threshold
to employ power relationships. Equation level V, and the receiver bandwidth fl; i/^
(2.29) may be converted to power by is the mean square noise voltage.
replacing the signal to rms-noise-voltage
ratio with the following:
A _ signal amplitude^ ,/2~(rms
signal voltage) = L signal power\"; _
|2S\"2
iji'h11 ~ rms noise voltage ~~ rms
noise voltage \ noise power' \N I

We shall also replace ff/2i^0 by In (1/P,.) of the signal is the same as the IF
[from Eq. (2.24)J. Using the above midband frequency f,r. The output of the
relationships, the probability of envelope detecsor has a
detection is plotted in Fig. 2.7 as a probability-density function given by9
function of the signal-to-noise ratio with
the probability of a false alarm as a
parameter.
 p,(R^-p-exp (2.2
— ;0 7)
-7-

where Jo(Z) is the modified Bessel

function of zero order and argument Z.
For Z large, an asymptotic expansion for
lo{2) is
When the signal is absent, A = 0 and Eq.
(2.27) reduces to Eq. (2.21), the
A'oise olone probability-density function for noise
Figure 2.6 alone. Equation (2.27) is sometimes
Probability-density called the Rice probability-density
function for noise function.
alone and for The probability that the signal will be
signal-plus-noise, detected (which is the probability of
illustrating the detection) is the same as the probability
process of threshold that the envelope R will exceed the
detection. predetermined threshold VT. The