Hybrid Clutter Suppression Technique for FOPEN Target Imaging Radar

This paper presents a detailed exploration of Foliage Penetration Radar (FOPEN) technology, focusing on its advancements, challenges, and experimental implementation. Outlining the fundamental principles of radar, underscores the critical role of FOPEN radar in detecting objects concealed beneath dense vegetation. It delves into the challenges faced by FOPEN systems, particularly in discriminating between man-made targets and natural features within vegetation, emphasizes ongoing research efforts to optimize radar frequencies, improve signal processing algorithms. Linear Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (LFMCW) FOPEN radar system is indigeneously designed, providing insights into its architecture and capabilities. Also, proposed methodology implementing Hybrid Clutter Suppression including noise removal, Doppler processing, and target detection, showcasing promising results in detecting concealed targets behind light foliage. The adaptability of the LFMCW-based FOPEN radar system, as demonstrated in the experimental results, positions it as a valuable tool for applications ranging from military surveillance to civilian geospatial imaging in challenging environments. A research for such systems can be pursued with a focus on minimizing false alarms, understanding the environmental impact, and exploring humanitarian and environmental monitoring applications of FOPEN radar.