I.

INTRODUCTION

Adaptive Moving Target

Indication in a Windblown
Clutter Environment

YURIY V. GONCHARENKO, Member, IEEE

GORDON FARQUHARSON, Member, IEEE
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, USA
VOLODIMIR GOROBETS
Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics NAS of Ukraine
Kharkiv, Ukraine
VIKTOR GUTNIK
YURIY TSARIN, Member, IEEE
Institute of Radio Astronomy NAS of Ukraine
Kharkiv, Ukraine

The statistical properties of windblown grass and forest clutter,

obtained using high-resolution microwave Doppler radar, are
analyzed and shown to be nonstationary. In particular, we show that
the bandwidth of the Doppler signal depends linearly on the total
power of the signal for both types of vegetation. Also, variations in
the mean power and spectrum bandwidth of the clutter are similar
to the analysis time of existing radars. The model of an adaptive
moving target indication (MTI) notch filter is presented and
evaluated. It is shown that adaptive filtering significantly improves
the efficiency of an MTI system.

Radars operating in the F (90 to 140 GHz) and

D (110 to 170 GHz) microwave bands allow for the use of
small antennas and large operating bandwidths to provide
very high spatial resolution, and therefore, precision
location of objects. Use of these frequency bands also
offers improved jamming protection and simplifies
electromagnetic compliance [1]. Some drawbacks of
operating in these bands include relatively low available
output power (several Watts), and atmospheric attenuation
(0.3 5 dB/km) [2, 3]. These drawbacks considerably
reduce the maximum range over which these radars make
a useful measurement. However, despite these drawbacks,
the advantages outlined above make design and
development of F- and D-band radars an appealing area
of research.
In this paper, we characterize the statistical signature of
clutter at these microwave frequencies. We define clutter
to be the unwanted echo from the ground and objects that
are not the features of interest. Detecting the interesting
objects is easier, when these objects move against a fixed
background surface of vegetation, which often happens in
practice. This very important radiolocation problem is
solved by moving target indication (MTI) algorithms [4].
MTI relies on the difference in the Doppler velocities of
the target and clutter. However, knowledge of the
statistical properties of the clutter is necessary for
effectively implementing MTI techniques.
There have been a great number of experimental and
theoretical investigations of signals scattered from slightly
rough surfaces such as the sea surface [57], and also
analysis of the energy spectra of signals reflected by
vegetation [8, 9]. This paper adds to this body of work
with measurements of clutter with a D-band radar for
different types of vegetation. Furthermore, we do not
assume that the clutter at D-band wavelengths is
homogeneous and stationary, as is done in many previous
studies [811]. Finally, we explore the effect of the clutter
on the efficiency of MTI algorithms at these wavelengths.
II. EXPERIMENTAL DATA ON THE STATISTICAL
PROPERTIES OF TERRAIN CLUTTER

Manuscript received August 9, 2013; revised January 22 and April 20,

2014; released for publication April 20, 2014.
DOI. No. 10.1109/TAES.2014.130540.
Refereeing of this contribution was handled by R. Narayanan.
Authors addresses: Y. V. Goncharenko, Institute of Radiophysics and
Electronics NAS of Ukraine, Proskura st. 12, Kharkiv, 61085, Ukraine,
and University of Washington, Applied Physics Lab, 1013 NE 40th
Street, Seattle, WA 98105-6698 United States, E-mail:
(ygonch@brain.org.ua). G. Farquharson, University of Washington,
Applied Physics Lab, 1013 NE 40th Street, Seattle, WA 98105-6698
United States; V. Gorobets, Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics
NAS of Ukraine, Proskura st. 12, Kharkiv, 61085, Ukraine; V. Gutnik
and Y. Tsarin, Institute of Radio Astronomy NAS of Ukraine 4,
Chervonopraporna St., Kharkov, 61002, Ukraine.
C 2014 IEEE
0018-9251/14/$26.00 

The experiments described below were performed

using a coherent Doppler radar with continuous radiation,
which uses homodyne detection [12], so we could
measure only the magnitude of the target velocity and
couldnt determine the direction of movement. The active
element of the radar is a backward wave oscillator (BWO)
[13]. The radar has a parabolic combined Tx-Rx antenna
and was installed on the top of a mobile tower at 5 m
height. The horizontal and vertical direction of the main
pattern of this antenna was adjusted manually. A summary
of the relevant radar parameters is listed in Table I.
Signals scattered from various types of vegetation
were recorded by this radar for wind speeds from 12 to
1012 m/s. The output power of the microwave radar was
not completely stable, so for calibration of the system a

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TABLE I
Technical Parameters of the Doppler Radar
Signal Parameters
Radiated signal
Frequency
Power
Bandwidth range of the Doppler frequency
Antenna Parameters
Beamwidth in azimuth plane
Beamwidth in elevation plane

Continuous
140 GHz
0.61W
0.0110 kHz

6
3

test reflector was used. The test reflector was a 60 mm

diameter metal ball that had a well-known radar cross
section [14, 15]. Test areas with different types of
vegetation were chosen: grass (barley, with height
30-35 cm) and wood (willow, birch) at a distance of about
60 to 100 m. The area of grass was 200 to 250 m2 and the
observed area of deciduous cover was around 80 to
100 m2 . The depression angle for observation of the wood
was about 90 , and for the grass cover, 3.5 . The azimuth
angle between the line of sight and wind direction did not
exceed 20 to 30 for both series of experiments. The
detected radar signal and information about wind velocity
were recorded simultaneously with a sampling rate of
20 kHz.
Signal processing consisted primarily of obtaining the
power spectrum of Doppler signals for various observation
times, close to the data refreshing times in real microwave
radars (0.05-0.1 s). The analysis showed a number of
peculiarities characteristic of spectra, obtained during
comparatively short time: hundredths to tenths of a
second. The unusual feature of these spectra is the
essential time variability of their characteristics, such
as spectrum components level, signal bandwidth, and
shape.
Preliminary analysis of the data showed that Doppler
spectra of windblown forest clutter are located mainly in
the frequency range 500 Hz to 10 kHz. In addition, a
higher frequency component appeared at lower
frequencies due to using a power conversion from 50 Hz
ac to 400 Hz ac electrical network. Because of that, the
measured energy spectra will be considered, starting from
the Doppler frequencies of 500 Hz that correspond to the
reflectors radial velocities about 0.5 m/s.
Better equipment was used in the series of experiments
with windblown grass clutter. It allowed signal processing
in the frequency range 50 Hz to 10 kHz, corresponding to
radial velocities from 0.05 to 10 m/s.
In both cases the sampling rate was 22 kHz, the typical
duration of realization was 120 s. The total duration of all
records was more than 4 h.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A typical spectrogram of Doppler shifts of a

microwave signal reflected from a group of birch trees is
shown in Fig. 1. The spectrogram was calculated using the
algorithm described in [17], using data recorded during 7
2990

Fig. 1. Doppler shift spectrogram of windblown forest clutter.

Fig. 2. Doppler shift spectrogram of windblown grass clutter.

to 10 m/s gusty wind conditions. Time is shown along the

abscissa axis and the spectral component Doppler
frequencies, along the ordinate axis. Relative power of the
spectrum varies from 25 dB (red) to 95 dB (dark blue).
The figure shows that local spectral maxima are formed in
the time interval 0.1 to 0.4 s, and the peak magnitude is
30 to 35 dB. The frequency of these maxima in the
spectrum increases from 600 Hz to 2 kHz in a period of no
more than 0.15 s, remains constant for approximately
0.1 s, and then gradually returns back to its initial spectral
distribution in the last 0.3 0.4 s. The time variability of
the spectral density is clearly seen.
An example of the Doppler spectrogram is shown in
Fig. 2 for the grass scattered microwave signal under 10 to
12 m/s gusty wind conditions. Here, the relative power of
the spectral components varies from 50dB (red) to
120 dB (dark blue). In contrast to scattering by the
forest, these Doppler spectra have no clear maxima. Wind
gusts caused increases of the scattered signal intensity at
higher frequencies. It should be also noted that intensity
bursts are 3 to 4 times longer in comparison to similar
bursts for scattering from a deciduous forest, and their
intensity is 10 to 15 times smaller.
This means that the influence of ground clutter related
to grass cover on MTI systems is significantly lower in
comparison to the influence of ground clutter related to a

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS VOL. 50, NO. 4 OCTOBER 2014

Fig. 4. Doppler ECS (gray) and threshold frequency (black) of

windblown forest clutter time variations.

Fig. 3. Doppler centroid variations of windblown forest clutter power

spectrum.

deciduous forest. Note the spectral width for grass does

not exceed 350 to 400 Hz, which differs from forest
clutter. This means that the range of scatterer velocities
does not exceed 0.4 m/s for grass.
Variation in time of the position of the Doppler
centroid of the power spectrum (Fig. 3) was obtained from
the spectrogram shown in Fig. 1. The intensity and
position of the Doppler centroid gives us information
about the properties of the main part of the spatially
distributed target [17].
It is clear from Fig. 3 that at the moment t = 0 the
Doppler centroid is at the frequency 600 Hz. This means
that at that moment in time the backscattered signal is
determined by a group of reflectors moving with average
velocity close to 0.6 m/s. In the time interval t = (0 to
0.25) s the reflector velocity increases from 0.6 to 1.9 m/s
and in the interval t = (0.25 to 0.4) s it returns to the initial
value of 0.6 m/s. In the example considered there was a
group of oscillating scatterers in the reflecting volume.
Such a spectrum is typical for small patterns of deciduous
forest (tens of square meters) under a pronounced gusty
wind. Other examples of spectra recorded show that under
a sustained wind, the spectrum has no maximum, but the
intensities of spectral components and bandwidth vary in
time.
Let us determine the instantaneous power and spectral
threshold frequency of terrain clutters caused by reflection
from the deciduous forest, by considering their behavior
within short time intervals. Similarly to the instant
spectrum, we consider the instantaneous power as the
power of the signal, which has a finite duration. For this
analysis, this duration is equal to the analysis time Ta =
0.093 s. The spectrum threshold frequency values Ft are
computed from instantaneous spectra obtained by the
periodogram approach of [18].
These frequency values are obtained using the
condition that the instantaneous power for the frequencies
greater than Ft is no more than triple the radar receiver
intrinsic noise:

Fig. 5. Doppler ECS (gray) and threshold frequency (black) of

windblown grass clutter time variations.


3Pnoise

Pinst (f )df

(1)

Ft

where Pnoise is the receiver intrinsic noise, and Pinst is the

instantaneous power of signal.
The scattered signal instantaneous power completely
characterizes the scattering effective cross section of
observed objects (ECS). It may be determined exactly,
since responses from a calibrating ball were also recorded
in the experiments. The ECS of forest clutter was
determined in the Doppler frequency band from 500 Hz
to Ft , and the ECS of grass clutter in the band from 50 Hz
to Ft .
Generally, the investigated parameters characteristic of
ground clutter and their time variability [ECS (t) and
threshold frequency Ft (t)] are random values. They were
obtained from records of signals scattered by deciduous
forest and grass covers with total lengths of more than
240 min. Typical examples of time variations of ECS and
threshold frequency of ground clutters are presented in
Figs. 4 and 5.
The records of time dependencies shown on Figs. 4
and 5 indicate the nonstationarity characteristics of the
clutter signal due to time variation of its power and
Doppler frequency bandwidth. It is clear that both (t) and
Ft (t) mean values are different for, e. g., timeslots denoted
by letters A and B on both charts. A different character
of oscillations on the dependencies on both time intervals
might also be noted, which reports different values of
dispersion of random values (t) and Ft (t) at different
period timeslots.

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Fig. 6. Threshold frequency distribution of forest clutter.

Fig. 7. Power distribution of forest clutter.

Fig. 8. Threshold frequency distribution of grass clutter.

Probability distributions of (t) and Ft (t) are shown in

Figs. 6 and 7. These distributions are computed over 200 s
time interval (2000 of samples of F and ) for the
windblown forest and grass clutter. The probability
distributions for the windblown grass clutter are shown in
Figs. 8 and 9. The threshold frequency distribution in
Fig. 6 (forest clutter) is well approximated by a normal
distribution law. The power distribution of Fig. 7 (forest
clutter) is well approximated by the Weibull distribution,
which is in good agreement with well-known results
discussed in the papers [1921], where the statistical
properties were determined at hundreds-of-seconds time
intervals. Fitting parameters for obtained distributions are
presented in Table V.
2992

Fig. 9. Power distribution of grass clutter.

Statistical parameter estimate obtained within various

time durations are presented in Tables II and III. It can be
seen from the tables that the cross-correlation coefficient
P (linking the ECS of ground clutter with the threshold
frequency) is almost independent of the time duration. It
varies in the intervals 0.39 to 0.49 for windblown forest
clutter and 0.56 to 0.65 for grass clutter.
The most probable threshold frequency for the signal
scattered by grass cover is 570 Hz, which is more than
4 times lower than the analogous frequency for forest
clutter. This shows that the range of radial scatterer
velocities is significantly narrower than the similar range
for forest scatterers and is limited to between 0 and
0.57 m/s, whereas speed of the scatterers responsible for
the reflections from the forest signal, may achieve 2.9 m/s.
It may be supposed that the observed difference in the
scatterer Doppler velocities is connected to the difference
in their mean mass and geometric sizes. The mass of a
birch leaf (which is the highest speed scatterer) is
10-20 times less than the mass of a barley ear, and its
windage is essentially higher. Therefore, due to lower
inertia and higher windage, a birch leaf may achieve the
highest vibration speed significantly quicker than barley
ear. Probabilities of the signal exceeding its mean values
P , PF 0.4. . .0.45 and large values of the mean
deviation of ECS and threshold frequency prove the pulse
character of the process we considered, where fast and
short signal bursts prevail.
First-order regression lines were constructed on the
basis of the data and are shown in Figs. 10 and 11. These
have the following form:
FT = F0 + B

(2)

where FT and are random values (F0 free term,

regression coefficient).
The interdependence of the parameters of signals
scattered by a deciduous forest and by grass may be seen
from Figs. 10 and 11. Power and threshold frequency may
be satisfactorily approximated by the expression (1). This
shows the tendency for most cases: the more reflected
signal power, the more Doppler frequency bandwidth the
signal occupies.

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TABLE II
Statistical Characteristics of Windblown Forest Clutter

Tr , s.

Correlation
coefficient, R

Mean ECS
(t), m2

Mean
threshold
frequency
Ft (t), kH z

15
50
100

0,39
0,41
0,49

1,25
1,15
1,13

2,39
2,87
2,90

Deviation of
ECS , kHz

Deviation of
threshold frequency
F , kHz

PF

0,58
0,42
0,43

0,88
0,91
0,93

0,46
0,46
0,47

0,42
0,48
0,50

TABLE III
Statistical Characteristics of Windblown Grass Clutter

Tr , s.

Correlation
coefficient, R

Mean ECS
(t), m2

Mean
threshold
frequency
Ft (t), kH z

15
50
100

0.56
0.57
0.65

0.19
0.22
0.23

497
540
574

Fig. 10. Scatter plot for windblown forest clutter.

Deviation of
ECS , kHz

Deviation of
threshold frequency
F , kHz

PF

0.09
0.10
0.11

171
188
203

0.40
0.41
0.44

0.41
0.42
0.39

probabilities of correct target detection are the main radar

characteristics and depend on the distribution of clutter,
static characteristics of the target, signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR), and detection algorithm [14, 22]. Development of
an optimal detection algorithm for moving target detection
in time-variable noise is a challenging task.
In this section we evaluate MTI detection dependence
on SNR, which has the essential impact on the overall
efficiency of radar. For this evaluation we use the
experimental data and regression functions obtained in
previous paragraphs. The main unit of each MTI system is
a notch filter. It should attenuate Doppler signals in
waveband 0 to Fn max and pass signals in the frequency
range Fn max , to FD max ,, where Fn max is maximum Doppler
frequency of clutter, and FD max is maximum expected
Doppler frequency of the useful signal. So, a notch filter is
a high-pass filter (HPF) with fixed or variable cut-off
frequency. A few coefficients describe the efficiency of an
MTI system: rejection ratio Kp and improvement factor
Kimp [14].
Kp = Pin /Pout

(3)

where Pin and Pout are the power of the clutter at the input
and output of the notch filter, respectively. This coefficient
shows the noise suppression but doesnt show what
happens with useful signal. The improvement factor
quantifies the increase in SNR:
Fig. 11. Scatter plot for windblown grass clutter.

IV. NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TERRAIN CLUTTER

INFLUENCE ON DIFFERENT MTI SYSTEMS

The main goal of MTI radars is the detection of

moving targets in a background of stationary ground
clutter. The constant false alarm rate (CFAR) and

Kimp = (Ps /Pn )out / (Ps /Pn )in

(4)

where (Ps /Pn )in and (Ps /Pn )out are the SNR at input and
output of filter.
The improvement factor Kimp can represent fully the
efficiency of the MTI system because it gives us not only
information about noise suppression, but also information
concerning useful signal. The simulation of the influence

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2993

Fig. 12. Results of simulation for fixed-bandwidth HPF-1 (left panel), and for filter with varying bandwidth (right panel). (a), (b) Input SN.
(c), (d) Output SNR. (e), (f) Improvement factor.

TABLE IV
Coefficient of Regression Function
Clutter types:

F0 , kHz

, kHz/m2

0.65
0

2.35
0.35

Windblown forest clutter:

Windblown grass clutter:

TABLE V
Fitting Parameters for ECS and Threshold Frequency Distributions

Type of
Vegetation
Trees

Grass

Fitting Parameters for

Distribution of Effective
Doppler Cross Section

Fitting Parameters for

Distribution of Threshold
Frequency

Type: Weibull
scale = 1.14
shape = 3.1
Type: Weibull
scale = 0.3080
shape = 3.02

Type: Gauss
center = 2916
width = 1609
Type: Weibull
scale = 575
shape = 3.2

of various notch filters on the improvement factor was

carried out.
We analyzed HPF with a fixed bandwidth and HPF
with a variable bandpass.
1) HPF with a fixed bandwidth. The model of a
fourth-order elliptic filter was used. This filter provides
attenuation in 0 to 400 Hz frequency range and has 2 fixed
cut-off frequencies: HPF-13 kHz (corresponds to average
values for windblown trees at Table II) and HPF-2 6 kHz.
2) HPF with variable bandpass. The cut-off frequency
of the notch filter will change according to the regression
function shown in Fig. 10 and Table IV, ifthe total power
of clutter changes.
2994

The input signal for all filters is the sum of two

components. The first component is a sinusoidal signal
which has the amplitude corresponding to a radar cross
section equal to 0.8 m2 and a varying Doppler frequency
(0 to 20 kHz). The second component is a real signal,
scattered from windblown trees.
The simulation shows that in the case of nonsteady
clutter, the output signals of all notch filters and
improvement factor variations are random values. The
examples of variation in SNR at the input and output of a
fixed-bandwidth notch filter and improvement factor
variations for the same signal are shown in the left panel of
Figs. 12(a), 12(c), and 12(e). The same examples, obtained
for a filter with a varying bandwidth are shown in the right
panel of Figs. 12(b), 12(d), and 12(f). Neither SNR nor
Kimp can represent the efficiency of a filter objectively, but
this figure shows that adaptive filtration gives better
results. The maximum value of the improvement factor of
a filter with fixed bandwidth is 30, while Kimp for a filter
with varying bandwidth can exceed 180.
The influence of the notch filters parameters on the
Q-ratio is obtained using numerical modeling. The results
of modeling are presented on Fig. 13. By analyzing these
results we can evaluate the filtering efficiency for different
target radial velocities. The HPF-1 with cutoff frequency
3 kHz shows relatively good results when working with
low-speed targets. However, the efficiency of this filter for
all targets which have a Doppler frequency up to 20 kHz,
does not exceed 0.4. Thus, this filter can work effectively
only 40% of the time. Increasing the cutoff frequency up
to 6 kHz improves the efficiency ratio up to Q = 0.89, for
high-speed targets when Doppler frequency exceeds the
cutoff frequency of HPF-2. However, if the target Doppler

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS VOL. 50, NO. 4 OCTOBER 2014

differences in physical (mechanical) properties of the

highest speed scatterers for both cases: trees leaves and
spikelets, and their different mass and areas (windage).
This knowledge may be used for estimation of quantity
and quality biomass, growing at an investigated lot.
4) The statistical properties and regression
dependencies have to be taken into account in developing
high-resolution MTI systems, where the clutter Doppler
response signals have nonstationary characteristics. It is
shown that adaptively filtering ground-based clutter
provides good results when the total power of the received
signal was used as the control signal.

Fig. 13. Q-factor dependence on target Doppler frequency for: 1 HPF

with cut-off frequency 3 kHz; 2 HPF with cut-off frequency 6 kHz;
3 - with variable bandpass.

frequency decreases below 6 kHz, the efficiency ratio

tends to zero. So this MTI system cannot be used for
detecting a low-speed target. These dependencies show
that an HPF with low cutoff frequency can provide the
required SNR only for targets with a low Doppler
frequency. Increasing the cutoff frequency causes
low-speed targets to become invisible.
In case of time-variable interference we propose to use
as an efficiency ratio of the MTI system the probability
(Q) of SNR at the filter output exceeding a preset level.
This level of SNR is preliminarily chosen to obtain the
necessary detection characteristics.
An HPF with a variable cutoff frequency has efficiency
of Q that is not worse than HPF-1 in the frequency band
0 4 kHz. For high-speed targets with FD > 4 kHz this
HPF has a very high efficiency (Q = 0.9). Small ripples on
the curves of efficiency Q(FD ) can be explained by
irregularities of the filter bandwidth. They are determined
by the filter model, used in numerical simulations.

Finally, we note that the Doppler signal scattered from

moving vegetation depends not only on the intensity of the
wind (as considered in this study), but also on the wind
direction. In order to obtain the most intensive and
broadband Doppler response, the experimental data was
collected when the radar was oriented in the downwind
direction. This configuration allowed us to test and show
the efficiency of the proposed MTI algorithm in what we
considered to be the most difficult environment. For other
wind directions, and in the case of simple scatterers (such
as grass), we speculate that the Doppler shift dependence
would be dominated by the cosine of the angle between
wind direction and the radar line of sight. For more
complicated cases (e.g., trees) we might expect a less
simple dependence on wind direction, due to the complex
movement of tree branches. We leave the investigation of
wind direction as work for a future study.
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V. CONCLUSIONS

This study produced the following main results.

1) The backscattering characteristics of windblown
grass and trees, measured with a high resolution D-band
Doppler radar are presented.
2) Variations in the mean level of the instantaneous
backscattered power and the Doppler spectrum threshold
frequency are a characteristic of D-band signals scattered
by deciduous forests and grass cover.
3) At comparable wind speed, the intensity of
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intensities of windblown grass clutters. The Doppler
spectrum bandwidth (and the scatterers maximum speed)
for a windblown forest is 4 5 times higher than the
corresponding values for grass cover. The differences in
the Doppler spectrum bandwidth may be caused by

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Chuah, H. T.
Electromagnetic scattering from foliage and vegetation:
Modeling and applications in active microwave remote
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18th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing (ACRS97),
Malaysia, Oct. 20-24, 1997, pp. 726729.

Yuriy V. Goncharenko (S03M08) received the B.S. and M.S. degrees from the
Kharkov National Polytechnic University, Kharkov, Ukraine, in 1998 and 1999,
respectively, and the PhD in radiophysics from the Institute for Radiophysics and
Electronic NAS of Ukraine, Kharkov, in 2006.
For 1999 to 2000 he worked at the Institute of Ionosphere, Kharkov. In 2000 he
joined the Institute for Radiophysics and Electronic NAS of Ukraine, where he
developed algorithms for microwave remote sensing of sea surface and different types
of land cover. In 2012 he joined the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of
Washington as Fulbright scholar and implements airborne synthetic aperture radars for
remote sensing of sea surface.

Gordon Farquharson (S01M05) received the B.S. (Eng.) and M.S. (Eng.) degrees
from the University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, in 1996 and 1999
respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, in 2005.
From 2004 to 2009, he worked at the National Center for Atmospheric Research,
Boulder, CO where he developed microwave and millimeter-wave remote sensing
radars for atmospheric research. In 2009, he joined the Applied Physics Laboratory at
the University of Washington, where he develops and uses microwave radar systems for
ocean remote sensing. He is also an Affiliated Assistant Professor in the Electrical
Engineering Department, where he teaches and supervises students.
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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS VOL. 50, NO. 4 OCTOBER 2014

Volodimir Gorobets received the M.S. degree in electrical engineering in 1976 from
the Kharkov Aviation Institute and the Ph.D. in radiophysics in 2006 from the Institute
for Radiophysics and Electronic NAS of Ukraine, Kharkov.
His current field of research is investigations of cm and mm radiowave
backscattering from sea surface.

Viktor Gutnik received the M.S. degree in radio engineering in 1971 from Kharkov
Polytechnic Institute and the Ph.D. degree in radiophysics from the Institute for
Radiophysics and Electronic NAS of Ukraine, Kharkov in 2001.
In 1998 he joined the Institute of Radio Astronomy, Kharkov, Ukraine.

Yuriy A. Tsarin (M07) received his M.S. (with distinction) and Ph.D. degrees in radio
physics from Kharkov State University in 1991 and 1998, respectively.
From the time of his masters graduation he has been almost continuously with the
Institute of Radio Astronomy, Kharkov, Ukraine in various positions - from PhD
student to Head of the Telecommunication Technologies Lab (since 2007). He was a
visiting scientist in TU Hamburg-Harburg in 1996-1997. He was employed in industry
as a radar developer in 2001-2002 in Illinois, USA. His research interests include
nonlinear dynamics, electromagnetic theory, and high-performance computing.
Dr. Tsarin is a member of the Ukrainian Physical Society.
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