Target-generated range errors

Radar range tracking systems employing a narrow RF bandwidth are subject to range scintillation errors which are generated by complex targets, including multipath propagation. The errors can be many times the actual target extent. In the narrow-band case, the errors are of the same form as angle scintillation. This similarity allows the general rules applying to angle scintillation to be applied to estimate range errors for complex targets. If bandwidth is sufficient to resolve the individual parts of the target, scintillation is reduced completely and the target range is always confined within the target's physical extent. Since a practical system cannot resolve all complex targets, the case of partial resolution is also investigated to determine range error as a function of resolution from fully unresolved to fully resolved.