Gamma Gaussian Inverse Wishart Probability Hypothesis Density for Extended Target Tracking Using X-Band Marine Radar Data

X-band marine radar systems represent a flexible and low-cost tool for the tracking of multiple targets in a given region of interest. Although suffering several sources of interference, e.g., the sea clutter, these systems can provide high-resolution measurements, both in space and time. Such features offer the opportunity to get accurate information not only about the target position/motion but also about the targets size. Accordingly, in this paper, we exploit emergent extended target tracking (ETT) methodologies in which the target state, typically position/velocity/acceleration, is augmented with the target length and width. In this paper, we propose an ETT procedure based on the popular probability hypothesis density filter, and in particular, we describe the extended target state through the gamma Gaussian inverse Wishart model. The comparative simplicity of the used models allows us to meet the real-time processing constraint required for the practical surveillance purposes. Real-world data from an experimental and operational campaign, collected during the recovery operations of the Costa Concordia wreckage in October 2013, are used to assess the performance of the proposed target tracking methodology. The full signal processing chain is implemented, and considerations of the experimental results are provided. Important nonideal effects, common to every marine radar, are observed and discussed in relation to the assumptions made for the tracking procedure.