Event-based characterization and simulation of sea clutter

This paper describes an empirical approach to characterizing and simulating sea clutter based on the identification and grouping of so called ’clutter events’. Clutter events are grouped based on azimuth width (or equivalently existence time). The groups are characterized with regards to mean spike amplitude and relative occurrence rate of events. The character of the azimuth amplitude profile within a group is further characterized in terms of associated amplitude probability distribution function (apdf), amplitude profile and variance. The multiparameter characterization is shown to be sufficiently robust to allow the simulation of a scene that exhibits not only a qualitative similarity to the real clutter but a demonstrable quantitative correspondence. When the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of the clutter simulated per the new approach is compared with that of the real sea clutter returns an excellent match is achieved. Thus the new simulation method is shown to be consistent with the simpler but widely used apdf characterization.