Time-Frequency Analysis of Waveform Diverse Designs

Abstract

Waveform diversity desires to optimize the Radar waveform given the constraints and objectivesof a particular task or scenario. Recent advances in electronics have significantly expanded thedesign space of waveforms. The resulting waveforms of various waveform diverse approachespossess complex structures which have temporal, spectral, and spatial extents. The utilization ofoptimization in many of these approaches results in complex signal structures that are not imagineda priori, but are instead the product of algorithms. Traditional waveform analysis using thefrequency spectrum, autocorrelation, and beampatterns of waveforms provide the majority ofmetrics of interest. But as these new waveforms’ structure increases in complexity, and theconstraints of their use tighten, further aspects of the waveform’s structure must be considered,especially the true occupancy of the waveforms in the transmission hyperspace. Time-Frequencyanalysis can be applied to these waveforms to better understand their behavior and to inform futuredesign. These tools are especially useful for spectrally shaped random FM waveforms as well asspatially shaped spatial beams. Both linear and quadratic transforms are used to study theemissions in time, frequency, and space dimensions. Insight on waveform generation is observedand future design opportunities are identified.