In this work we present a thorough performance analysis of two algorithms f
or estimating Toeplitz covariance matrices, the structured sample covarianc
e matrix estimator (SCME) and the structured normalised SCME (NSCME), which
are employed by adaptive radar detectors against Gaussian and compound-Gau
ssian clutter. Performance predictions are checked with real-life sea clutt
er data. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.