Demystifying Pulse Compression in Weather Radar

Pulse compression is a fundamental technique that enables radar systems to transmit longduration, low-peak-power signals while achieving both power gain and high range resolution. This dual advantage makes pulse compression an essential component of modern radar systems, which demand compactness, lightweight design, and energy efficiency. While pulse compression implementation has been well studied for hard/point target detection, it remains less established for volume target estimation. This paper aims to document the similarities and differences in the use of pulse compression for hard target detection and volume target estimation—an area that has not thoroughly been discussed. Specifically, we express pulse compression radar equations and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for both applications, providing a framework for evaluating the benefits of pulse compression. In addition, we aim to bridge the gap between the theoretical formulation of pulse compression and its practical digital implementation. This integration eliminates the need for readers to consult separate documents on pulse compression theory and digital signal processing. Our goal is to enable readers to fully understand and apply pulse compression in practical scenarios. To this end, the main body of the paper focuses on key concepts and practical techniques essential for implementation. Detailed mathematical expressions and extended discussions are provided in the Appendices for a further understanding