METHODS OF DETECTION AND ESTIMATION ERRORS IN ST RADAR STUDIES

The classical theory of detection using the Neyman-Pearson principle i s applied to stratosphere-troposphere (ST) radar signals. It is extend ed to provide information regarding the detection of weak signals whic h complements the detectability method usually employed in ST radar st udies. It is shown that for ST radar signals of low amplitude and a de tectability around 3 (a value commonly invoked in literature), the pro bability of detection is about equal to the probability of false alarm . The question of threshold detectability is also discussed. Spectral moments errors are evaluated by a method which is an extension of the analytical method of estimation developed by Miller and Rochwarger and the results compared to other statistical and analytical models. As a lready known, three factors can affect the error on the estimated para meters: the signal-to-noise ratio, the spectral width and the incohere nt integration number. For high signal-to-noise ratios, analytical res ults are in good agreement with Barrick's and Denenberg's theoretical models and with Yamamoto's statistical one. For low signal-to-noise ra tios, the spectral parameters are more sensitive to the selected model but overall variability is similar.