Two-Dimensional Normalization Techniques

Normalization techniques are commonly used in radar and sonar systems for maintaining uniform detection performance in a nonstationary noise background. These techniques are usually employed in one dimension, typically for range-only processing. In this paper, techniques are examined for the normalization of two-dimensional (2-D) fields, specifically in the context of range/Doppler processing. Analytic expressions are derived for quantifying the normalization detection loss, and the results of processing a simulated nonstationary background are presented. The 2-D techniques are shown to offer significant advantages over one-dimensional (1-D) normalization in both steady-state detection loss and transient response.