Detection of low SNR moving targets with time varying amplitude

This paper presents a maximum likelihood solution to the problem of detection and tracking of low SNR constant velocity targets. The signal model improves on previous ap preaches by accounting for time varying target amplitude. Coupled with a realistic sensor model, this allows for exploitation of signal correlation between resolution cells in the same frame, and also from one frame to the next. Results for the general case and three special cases show good detection performance at SNRs much lower than would be possible with conventional tracking techniques.