An Adaptive Estimation Method for Group Target Number Based on Information Theoretic Criterion

The number of individuals within a group is crucial information for the correct association, robust tracking, and situation awareness. Traditional methods using the range profile’s peaks are not suitable when targets are densely distributed. The target number estimation algorithms based on monopulse systems have high computational complexity, while those based on array systems require additional sensor resources. To address these issues, this paper proposes a method based on multiple incoherent observations using one monopulse radar. By combining multiple incoherent observations from a single sensor with information theoretic criterion, this approach can estimate the number of targets even when the resolution of a single sensor is insufficient. The effectiveness of the algorithm is verified through simulations, and the algorithm's performance is analyzed.