Multiple-Doppler radar network design

The results obtained by Ray et al. (1979) are extended by examining two formulations of the objective function and including a constraint requiring specified resolution. Possible networks of two to nine radars are given for two different error specifications. The procedure consists in searching the finite number of local maxima for the global maximum in the value of the objective function. This is effected by using a searching algorithm at each of a number of starting vectors which are close enough to the local maxima to converge to the desired local maxima. The network obtained by considering all radars simultaneously is found in all cases to be superior to that obtained by combining optimum smaller subnetworks. The results are seen as indicating the expected benefits for networks with additional constraints, reflecting the more complex experimental objectives particular to some individual field program. It is found that for networks of up to five radars, the siting algorithm is rather insensitive to methods of analysis and error specification. Even though these results are strictly valid only for the two objective functions, it is expected that these results are representative of those for other analysis techniques.