MTI AND PULSE DOPPLER

RADAR
INTRODUCTION
• The Doppler frequency shift [fd =2Vr / λ] produced by a moving target may
be used in a pulse radar just as in the CW radar, to determine the relative
velocity of a target or to separate desired moving targets from undesired
stationary objects (clutter).

• If the Radar is used for detecting the movable target, then the
Radar should receive only the echo signal due to that movable
target. This echo signal is the desired one. However, in practical
applications, Radar receives the echo signals due to stationary
objects in addition to the echo signal due to that movable target.
 Salient Features of MTI

The echo signals due to stationary objects (places) such as land and sea are
called clutters because these are unwanted signals. Therefore, we have to
choose the Radar in such a way that it considers only the echo signal due
to movable target but not the clutters.
For this purpose, Radar uses the principle of Doppler Effect for distinguishing
the non-stationary targets from stationary objects. This type of Radar is called
Moving Target Indicator Radar or simply, MTI Radar.

MTI is a necessity in high-quality air-surveillance radars that

operate in the presence of clutter.

It took almost twenty years for the full capabilities offered by MTI
signal-processing theory to be converted into practical and economical
Radar equipment. The chief factor that made this possible was the
development of reliable, small, and inexpensive digital processing
hardware.
 Principle of operation

• A simple CW radar studied earlier is shown in Fig.1 (a). In principle, the

CW radar may be converted into a pulse radar as shown in Fig.1(b) by
providing a power amplifier and a modulator to turn the amplifier on and
off for the purpose of generating pulses.
The chief difference between the pulse radar of Fig. 1(b) and the one
studied earlier is that a small portion of the CW oscillator power that
generates the transmitted pulses is diverted to the receiver to take the
place of the local oscillator.
If the CW oscillator voltage is represented as A1 sin 2ft t where
A
1 A
1 =
amplitude and f the carrier frequency
t

Then the reference signal is: Vref  A2 sin 2 f t t ------- 1

And the Doppler-shifted echo-signal voltage is

------- 2
• Where A2 = amplitude of reference signal
• A3 = amplitude of signal received from a target at a range R0
• fd = Doppler frequency shift
• t = time
• c = velocity of propagation

The reference signal and the target echo signal are heterodyned in the
mixer stage of the receiver. Only the low-frequency (difference-
frequency) component from the mixer is of interest and is a voltage
given by:

------- 3
Figure 1: (a) Simple CW Radar (b) Pulse Radar using Doppler
Information
• For stationary targets the Doppler frequency shift will be zero and hence
Vdiff will not vary with time and may take on any constant value from +A4
to –A4 including zero.

• However, when the target is in motion relative to the radar fd has a

value other than zero and the voltage corresponding to the difference
frequency from the mixer [Eq. (3)] will be a function of time.

An example of the output from the mixer when the Doppler

frequency fd is large compared with the reciprocal of the pulse width
is shown in Fig.2 (b). The Doppler signal may be readily discerned
from the information contained in a single pulse
• If, on the other hand fd is small compared with the reciprocal of the pulse
duration, the pulses will be modulated with an amplitude given by Eq. (3)
[Fig. 2(c)] and many pulses will be needed to extract the doppler
information

• The case illustrated in Fig. 2(c) is more typical of aircraft-detection radar,

while the waveform of Fig. 2(b) might be more applicable to a radar used
for the detection of extraterrestrial targets such as ballistic missiles or
satellites

The video signals shown in Fig.2are called bipolar, since they contain
both positive and negative amplitudes.
Figure 2 (a) RF echo pulse train (b) video pulse train for
Doppler frequency fd>I/τ (c) video pulse train for Doppler
frequency fd<I/τ .
• Moving targets may be distinguished from stationary targets by observing
the video output on an A- scope (amplitude vs. range). A single sweep on
an A-scope might appear as in Fig. 3 (a) shown below. This sweep shows
several fixed targets and two moving targets indicated by the two arrows.
On the basis of a single sweep, moving targets cannot be distinguished
from fixed targets.
Figure 3 (a-e) Successive sweeps of a MTI radar A-scope display (echo amplitude as
a function of time)
(f) superposition of many sweeps: arrows indicate position of moving targets.
• Successive A-scope sweeps (pulse-repetition intervals) are shown in Fig. 3
(a) to (e). Echoes from fixed targets remain constant throughout, but echoes
from moving targets vary in amplitude from sweep to sweep at a rate
corresponding to the Doppler frequency. The superposition of the
successive A-scope sweeps is shown in Fig. 3(f). The moving targets
produce, with time, a" butterfly" effect on the A-scope.

• Concept of delay-line canceller:

• Although the butterfly effect is suitable for recognizing moving targets on
an A-scope, it is not appropriate for display on the PPI. One method
commonly employed to extract Doppler information in a form suitable for
display on the PPI scope is with a delay-line canceller as shown in the Fig.
4 below.
 Concept of delay-line canceller:

Figure 4: MTI Receiver with delay-line canceller

The delay-line canceller acts as a filter to eliminate the d-c component of fixed targets
and to pass the a- c components of moving targets. The video portion of the receiver
is divided into two channels. One is a normal video channel. In the other, the video
signal experiences a time delay equal to one pulse-repetition period (equal to the
reciprocal of the pulse repetition frequency).
The outputs from the two channels are subtracted from one another. The fixed
targets with unchanging amplitudes from pulse to pulse are canceled on subtraction.
However, the amplitudes of the moving target echoes are not constant from pulse to
pulse and subtraction results in an un canceled residue.
The output of the subtraction circuit is a bipolar video just as was the input.
Before bipolar video can intensity-modulate a PPI
display it is converted into uni potential voltages (unipolar video) by a full-wave
rectifier
.
 Types of MTI Radars

• We can classify the MTI Radars into the following two types based on the
type of transmitter that has been used.
• MTI Radar with Power Amplifier Transmitter
• MTI Radar with Power Oscillator Transmitter
• Now, let us discuss about these two MTI Radars one by one.
 MTI Radar with Power Amplifier Transmitter:

Figure 5: Block diagram of MTI radar with power-amplifier

transmitter.
 The function of each block of MTI Radar with power amplifier transmitter is
mentioned below.
Pulse Modulator − It produces a pulse modulated signal and it is applied to
Power Amplifier.
Power Amplifier − It amplifies the power levels of the pulse modulated
signal.
Local Oscillator − It produces a signal having stable frequency fl.
Hence, it is also called stable Local Oscillator. The output of Local
Oscillator is applied to both Mixer-I and Mixer-II.
Coherent Oscillator − It produces a signal having an Intermediate
Frequency, fc This signal is used as the reference signal. The output of
Coherent Oscillator is applied to both Mixer-I and Phase Detector.
.
Mixer-I − Mixer can produce either sum or difference of the
frequencies that are applied to it. The signals having frequencies
of fl and fc are applied to Mixer-I. Here, the Mixer-I is used for
producing the output, which is having the frequency fl+fc
 Duplexer − It is a microwave switch, which connects the Antenna to
either the transmitter section or the receiver section based on the
requirement. Antenna transmits the signal having
frequency fl+fc when the duplexer connects the Antenna to power
amplifier. Similarly, Antenna receives the signal having frequency
of fl+fc±fd when the duplexer connects the Antenna to Mixer-II.

Mixer-II − Mixer can produce either sum or difference of the frequencies that
are applied to it. The signals having frequencies fl+fc±fd and fl are applied to
Mixer-II. Here, the Mixer-II is used for producing the output, which is having
the frequency fc±fd
IF Amplifier − IF amplifier amplifies the Intermediate Frequency (IF)
signal. The IF amplifier shown in the figure amplifies the signal having
frequency fc+fd. This amplified signal is applied as an input to Phase
detector.
Phase Detector − It is used to produce the output signal having
frequency fd from the applied two input signals, which are having the
frequencies of fc+fd and fc The output of phase detector can be
connected to Delay line canceller.

Any one of the transmitting-tubes like Triode, Tetrode, Klystron, Traveling-

Wave Tube (TWT), and the Crossed-Field Amplifier ICFA) might be used as
the power amplifier

A transmitter which consists of a stable low-power oscillator followed by a

power amplifier is sometimes called MOPA, which stands for Master-
Oscillator Power Amplifier.
MTI radar with power-oscillator transmitter:

Figure 6: Block diagram of MTI radar with power-oscillator

transmitter
 As shown in the figure, MTI Radar uses the single Antenna for
both transmission and reception of signals with the help of
Duplexer. The operation of MTI Radar with power oscillator
transmitter is mentioned below.
The output of Magnetron Oscillator and the output of Local Oscillator
are applied to Mixer-I. This will further produce an IF signal, the phase
of which is directly related to the phase of the transmitted signal.
The output of Mixer-I is applied to the Coherent Oscillator. Therefore, the
phase of Coherent Oscillator output will be locked to the phase of IF
signal. This means, the phase of Coherent Oscillator output will also
directly relate to the phase of the transmitted signal.

So, the output of Coherent Oscillator can be used as reference

signal for comparing the received echo signal with the
corresponding transmitted signal using phase detector.
Delay line canceller is a filter, which eliminates the DC components of
echo signals received from stationary targets. This means, it allows the
AC components of echo signals received from non-stationary targets,
i.e., moving targets.

DELAY LINE CANCELLERS

1. It act as a filter to eliminate the DC component of fixed target and

pass the ac components of moving target.
2. Two types of delay line cancellers;
1. Time domain filter / cancellers.
2. Freq. domain filter / cancellers
 FIG. Block diagram of delay line cancellers

[Link] simple MTI delay-line canceller shown in Fig is an example of

a time-domain filter. The capability of this device depends on the
quality of the medium used is the delay line.
2. The Pulse modulator delay line must introduce a time delay equal
to the pulse repetition interval. For typical ground-based air-
surveillance radars this might be several milliseconds.
[Link] times of this magnitude cannot be achieved with practical
electromagnetic transmission lines. By converting the electromagnetic signal
to an acoustic signal it is possible to utilize delay lines of a reasonable
physical length since the velocity of propagation of acoustic waves is about
10-5 that of electromagnetic waves.

[Link] the necessary delay is introduced by the acoustic line, the

signal is converted back to an electromagnetic signal for further
processing.
5. The use of digital delay lines requires that the output of the MTI
receiver phase-detector be quantized into a sequence of digital
words.
[Link] of the advantages of a time-domain delay-line canceller as compared to
the more conventional frequency-domain filter is that a single network operates
at all ranges and does not require a separate filter for each range resolution cell.

7. Frequency-domain Doppler filter- banks are of interest in some forms of MTI

and pulse-doppler radar.
 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF DELAY LINE CANCELLERS

1A block diagram of delay line canceller is shown as fig.. The bipolar video from
the phase detector modulates a carrier before being applied to the delay lines.

[Link] modulated bipolar video is divided between two channels. In one channel
the signal is delayed by a PRF, while in the other channel it reaches directly i.e.
undelayed.

[Link] output from the delayed and undelayed channels are detected to remove
the carrier and then subtracted. The uncancelled bipolar video from the sub
tractor is rectified in a full wave rectifier to obtain unipolar video signal for
displaying on the PPI. The purpose of automatic balancing to detect any
amplitude timing differences and generate AGC error voltage to adjust the
amplifier gain and timing control error voltage to adjust the repetition frequency
of the trigger generator.
 Response of the Delay Line Canceller (Filter Characteristics

[Link] characteristics of the delay-line canceller. The delay-line canceller acts

as a filter which rejects the d-c component of clutter. Because of its periodic
nature, the filter also rejects energy in the vicinity of the pulse repetition
frequency and its harmonics.
[Link] video signal received from a particular target at a range R0 is
V1 = Asin (2πfdt – φ0)
Where, φ0 = phase shift
A = amplitude of video signal

[Link] signal from the previous transmission, which is delayed by a time T =

pulse repetition interval, is
V2 = Asin (2πfd (t – T) – φ0)
[Link] else is assumed to remain essentially constant over the interval
T so that k is the same for both pulses. The output from the sub tractor is
V = V1 – V2 = 2*A sin πfdT cos [2πfd (t – T / 2) - φ0]
We can write the mathematical equation of the received echo
signal after the Doppler effect as −
V1=Asin[2πfdt− ϕ0] Equation1
Where,
A is the amplitude of video signal
fd is the Doppler frequency
ϕo is the phase shift and it is equal to 4πftRo/C

We will get the output of Delay line canceller, by replacing t by t−T

Equation 1.
V2=Asin[2πfd(t−T)−ϕ0] Equation2

Where,
T is the pulse repetition time
We will get the subtractor output by subtracting Equation 2 from
Equation 1.
V1−V2=Asin[2πfdt− ϕ0]−Asin[2πfd(t−T)−ϕ0]
 2 f d t  0  [2 f d (t  T)  0 2 f d t  0  2 f d (t  T)  0
V1  V2  2Asin[ ]cos[ ]
2 2

2 f d T 2 f d  2t  T   20
V1  V2  2Asin[ ]cos[ ]
2 2

 T
V1  V2  2Asin[ f d T ]cos[2 f d  t    0 Equation 3
 2
[Link] is assumed that the gain through the delay-line canceller is unity. The
output from the canceller V consists of a cosine wave at the doppler frequency
fd with an amplitude2*A sin πfdT .
6. Thus the amplitude of the canceled video output is a function of the Doppler
frequency shift and the pulse-repetition interval, or PRF.
7. The magnitude of the relative frequency-response of the delay-line canceller
[ratio of the amplitude of the output from the delay-line canceller, 2*A πfdT, to
the amplitude of the normal radar video kj is shown in Fig.1.
Figure. Frequency
The output of subtractor is applied as input to Full Wave Rectifier.
Therefore, the output of Full Wave Rectifier looks like as shown in
the following figure. It is nothing but the frequency response of
the single delay line canceller.

Figure. Frequency response of single delay line cancell

 From Equation 3, we can observe that the frequency response of
the single delay line canceller becomes zero, when πfdT is equal
to integer multiples of π This means, πfdT is equal
to nπ Mathematically, it can be written as
πfdT =nπ

πfdT =π
fd 
n Equation 4
T

From Equation 4, we can conclude that the frequency response of

the single delay line canceller becomes zero, when Doppler
frequency fd is equal to integer multiples of reciprocal of pulse
repetition time T.
We know the following relation between the pulse repetition time and
pulse repetition frequency.
 1
fd 
T

1
fP  Equation 5
T

We will get the following equation, by substituting

Equation 5 in Equation 4.
f  nf
d P Equation6
Blind Speeds
From what we learnt so far, single Delay line canceller
eliminates the DC components of echo signals received from
stationary targets, when n is equal to zero. In addition to that, it
also eliminates the AC components of echo signals received
from non-stationary targets, when the Doppler frequency fd is
equal to integer (other than zero) multiples of pulse repetition
frequency fP. f  nf
d P

So, the relative velocities for which the frequency response

of the single delay line canceller becomes zero are
called blind speeds. Mathematically, we can write the
expression for blind speed vn as
 DOUBLE DELAY LINE CANCELLER

[Link] frequency response of a single-delay-line canceller does not always

have as broad clutter-rejection null as might be desired in the vicinity of d-c.
The clutter-rejection notches may be widened by passing the output of the
delay-line canceller through a second delay-line canceller as shown in Fig.
The output of the two single-delay-line cancellers in cascade is the square of
that from a single canceller.

[Link] the frequency response is sin2 πfdT. The configuration of Fig2 is

called a double-delay-line canceller, or simply a double canceller. The
relative response of the double canceller compared with that of a single
delay line canceller is shown in Fig. 3

[Link] finite width of the clutter spectrum is also shown in this figure so as
to illustrate the additional cancellation of clutter offered by the double
canceller.
[Link] two-delay-line configuration of Fig..2 has the same frequency-response
characteristic as the double-delay-line canceller. The operation of the device is as
follows. Signal f (t) is inserted into the adder along with the signal from the
preceding pulse period, with its amplitude weighted by the factor - 2, plus the signal
from two pulse periods previous. The output of the adder is therefore

f(t) – 2f(t - T) + f(t - 2T)

Figure.2. (a) Double delay line canceller (b) Three pulse canceller
 Which is the same as the output from the double-delay-line
canceller f(t) – f(t - T) - f(t - T) + f(t + 2T)

This configuration is commonly called the three-pulse

canceler

Figure 3. Frequency response of single & double delay line canceller

 Transversal filters
The three-pulse canceller shown in Fig. is an example of a Transversal
filter. Its general form with N pulses and N - 1 delay lines is shown in Fig

It is also
sometimes known as a feed forward filter, a non recursive filter, a finite
memory filter or a tapped delay line filter
The weights wi for a three-pulse canceler utilizing two delay lines arranged
as a transversal filter are 1. - 2, 1
The,frequency response function is proportional to Sin  f T
2
d

A transversal filter with three delay lines whose weights are 1, - 3, 3,-1,
gives a Sin  f T
3
d

This is a four-pulse'canceler. Its response is equivalent to a triple canceler

consisting of a cascade of three single delay-line cancelers
 The weights for a transversal filter with n delay lines that
gives a response Sin  f T
n
d are the
coefficients of the expansion of (1 - x)", which are the
binomial coefficients with alternating signs
n!
wi  ( 1)i 1
( n  i  1)!(i  1)!
i  1, 2, ..., n  1

Fig .General form of a transversal (or nonrecursive) filter for

MTI output signal processing
 MULTIPLE OR STAGGERED PULSE REPETITION FREQUENCIES

The use of more than one pulse repetition frequency offers additional flexibility
in the design of
MTI Doppler filters. It not only reduces the effect of the blind speeds but it also
allows a sharper low-frequency cutoff in the frequency response than might be
obtained with a cascade of single-delay-line cancellers with Sin  f T response
n
d

.
The blind speeds of two independent radars operating at the same frequency
will be different if their pulse repetition frequencies are different.
Therefore, if one radar were " blind “
to moving targets, it would be unlikely that the other radar would be "
blind" also.

Instead of using two separate radars, the same result can be obtained with
one radar which time-shares its pulse repetition frequency between two or
more different values (multiple prf's).
The pulse
repetition frequency might be switched every other scan or every time
the antenna is scanned a half beam width
,or the period might be alternated on every other pulse. When the
switching is pulse to pulse, it is known as a staggered prf
Fig .(a) Frequency-response of a single-delay-line canceler for f, =
1/T,; (b) same for fp = Tl/T2;
(c) composite response withT1/T2=4/5
 Benefits or advantages of MTI Radar

Following are the benefits or advantages of MTI Radar:

➨MTI radar can distinguish between moving target and
stationary target.
➨It uses low PRF (Pulse Repetition Frequency) to avoid range
ambiguities.
➨MTI principle is used in air surveillance radar which operates
in presence of clutter.
➨It is simpler compare to pulse doppler radar.
➨Antenna bandwidth is high.
➨It is economical.
➨It does not require waveforms with multiple PRF.
➨It is preferred at UHF frequencies.
 Drawbacks or disadvantages of MTI Radar

Following are the disadvantages of MTI Radar:

➨Blind speed does not get detected by pulse MTI radar. Blind speed is defined as
magnitude of radial component of velocity of target when moving target appears
as stationary target.
➨They can have doppler ambiguities.
 RANGE GATED DOPPLER FILTERS

Block diagram of MTI radar using range gates and filters

 The delay-line canceller, which can be considered as a time-domain
filter, has been widely used in MTI radar as the means for separating
moving targets from stationary clutter. It is also possible to employ the
more usual frequency-domain band pass filters of conventional design in
MTI radar to sort the doppler-frequency-shifted targets.

The loss of the range information and the collapsing loss may be
eliminated by first quantizing the range (time) into small intervals.
This process is called range gating. The width of the range gates
depends upon the range accuracy desire! and the complexity which
can be tolerated,
A block diagram of the video of an MTI radar using multiple range
gates followed by clutter rejection filter is shown in Fig. Here the
range gates sample the output of the phase detector sequentially
range interval.
Each range open in sequence just long enough to sample the voltage of
the video waveform corresponding to a different range interval in space
or it acts as a switch/gate which open and close at a proper time.

The output of the range gate is given to a circuit known as box car
generator. Its function is to aid in the filtering and detection process
enhancing the fundamental of the modulation frequency and
eliminating harmonics of the PRF.

The clutter rejection filter is nothing but a band pass filter whose
bandwidth depends on the extent of the excepted clutter spectrum.
The filtered output from the Doppler filter is further fed to a full wave
linear detector which convert the bipolar video.
 A low pass filter or integrator passes these unipolar video to the
threshold detection circuit. Any signal crosses the threshold level is
treated as a target. The outputs from each range channels are
combined for display on the PPI or any other display unit.

The presentation of this type of MTI radar is far better than the display
from normal MTI radar.
The frequency response characteristics of an MTI radar using range
gates and filter is shown in fig. the shape of the rejection band is
mainly determined by the shape of the band pass filter.

It must be pointed out that the MTI radar using range gates and
filters is more complex than an MTI with single delay line canceller
a better MTI performance is achieved from a better match between
clutter filter characteristics and clutter spectrum.
The improvement in signal-to-clutter ratio of an MTI is affected by
factors other than the design of the doppler signal processor. Instabilities
of the transmitter and receiver, physical motions of the clutter, the finite
time on target (or scanning modulation), and limiting in the receiver can
all detect from the performance of an MTI radar

MTI Improvement factor:. The signal-to-clutter ratio at the output of the

MTI system divided by the signal-to-clutter ratio at the input, averaged
uniformly over all target radial velocities of interest:

Subclutter visibility The ratio by which the target& echo power may
be weaker than the coincident clutter echo power and still be detected
with specified detection and false alarm probabilities.

Clutter visibility factor. The signal-to-clutter ratio, after cancellation or

doppler filtering, that provides stated probabilities of detection and
false alarm.
Clutter attenuation. The ratio of clutter power at the canceler input to
the clutter residue at the output, normalized to the attenuation of a
single pulse passing through the unprocessed channel of the canceler.
(The clutter residue is the clutter power remaining at the output of an
MTI system.)

Cancellation ratio. The ratio of canceller voltage amplification for the

fixed-target echoes received with a fixed antenna, to the gain for a
single pulse passing through the unprocessed channel of the canceller.
 Equipment instabilities

The stability of the equipment in an MTI radar must be considerably better

than that of an ordinary radar. It can limit the performance of an MTI radar
if sufficient care is not taken in design, construction, and maintenance

Consider the effect of phase variations in an oscillator. If the echo from

stationary clutter on the first pulse is represented by A cos ωt and from the
second pulse is A cos (ωt +Δφ). where Δφ is the change in oscillator phase
between the two, then the difference between the two after subtraction is A
cos wt - A cos (wt + Δφ) = 2A sin (Δφ /2) sin (wt + Δφ /2). For small phase
errors, the amplitude of the resultant difference is 2A sin Δφ /2 ≈ A. Δφ
Therefore the limitation on the improvement factor due to oscillator
instability is
1
I
( ) 2
 The limits to the improvement factor imposed by pulse-to-pulse instability
are listed below

where Af = interpulse frequency change,τ = pulse width,T= transmission

time to and from target, Δφ= interpulse phase change, Δt = time jitter, B τ =
time-bandwidth product of pulse target, Δφ= interpulse phase change, Δt =
time jitter, B τ = time-bandwidth product of pulse target, Δφ= interpulse
phase change, Δt = time jitter, B τ = time-bandwidth product of pulse
compression system (= unity for simple pulses,) Δ τ = pulse-width jitter, A
= pulse amplitude,
ΔA = interpulse amplitude change
Internal fluctuation of clutter. Although clutter targets such as
buildings, water towers, barehills or mountains produce echo signals
that are constant in both phase and amplitude as a function of time,
there are many types of clutter that cannot be considered as absolutely
stationary. Echoes from trees, vegetation, sea, rain, and chaff fluctuate
with time, and these fluctuations can limit the performance of MTI
radar
most fluctuating clutter targets may be represented by a
model consisting of many independent scatterers located within the
resolution cell of the radar. The echo at the radar receiver is the vector sum
of the echo signals received from each of the individual scatters;