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Description:
The Multi-Int Simulation Technology
(MIST) developed by SRC is currently being used by both the
Government and industry to run virtual experiments and collect data
for systems that won’t be deployed for many years. The data from MIST
is helping to reduce risk in:
- Space and
Airborne Radar Programs
- Space and
Airborne Sensor Integration
- Multi-static and
Bistatic radar
- Adaptive
processing techniques
- Sensor
development and testing
Background
Advanced sensor programs are increasingly relying on
simulation-based acquisition strategies to provide the opportunity
to repeatedly test and evaluate a sensor’s performance in a
controlled environment at low cost. Since 1998 SRC has worked under
US Government sponsorship to build a high-fidelity sensor simulator
to evaluate the performance of space-based, airborne and
ground-based monostatic, bistatic, and multistatic radar sensors and
architectures.
Approach and
Capabilities
MIST is a high-fidelity end-to-end radar simulator that can run
virtual experiments using existing or proposed sensor systems
against existing or advanced target sets. Modeling of monostatic,
bistatic, or multistatic systems with ground-based, vehicle-mounted,
shipborne, airborne, or space-based sensor platforms and targets
(including SAR and SIGINT sensors) is supported. Seven different
scattering algorithms for terrain and clutter generation are
utilized in the model. MIST is ideal for modeling multiple aperture
systems and for evaluation of adaptive signal processing techniques
(STAP, DPCA, etc.).
Technology
MIST runs in a networked PC environment under Windows NT/2000. It
will run on a single PC with the option to parallel-process across
multiple PCs over TCP/IP network. Clutter models use digital terrain
elevation data (DTED) and land-use-land-cover (LULC) data bases for
terrain and clutter spreading. Sensor and target dynamics are
defined in a Satellite Tool Kit (STK) compatible file format.
Model outputs are produced in MATLAB-compatible I./Q sampled,
time-domain data streams.
User Interface
MIST’s graphical user interface is a Java-based application that
uses an object-oriented hierarchical approach to design a simulation
scenario. Each scenario is composed of sensor radar platforms,
targets, and the environment (clutter model) objects. The object
characteristics are defined on individual menus. In this fashion
existing sensors performance can be modeled or new sensor
performance evaluated. |
