Abstract
The key measurements of Pointing/Tracking system performance are the abilities to responsively acquire intended
targets and to maintain low track error (the error associated with stabilizing the target in the image scene). Typically
good target acquisition and track performance is readily attainable under "nominal" conditions, i.e. targets of high Signal
to Noise Ratio (SNR), or targets that have easily discernable relative motion with respect to other possible targets or
clutter. It is in the absence of these favorable conditions that a track preprocessor is highly advantageous, and possibly
necessary, to meet performance requirements. Typical scenarios involve a relatively small, stationary or slow moving,
distant target within a field of view with a considerable amount of background clutter. To this end, the main thrust of the
Tunable Wavelet Target Extraction Preprocessor (TWTEP) is the ability to discern targets from within complex clutter.
With this capability, the TWTEP then "extracts" the target, of arbitrary shape and size, and presents only a resultant
image composed of solely a high SNR target to a track process. The result: A track process that provides an enhanced
capability to accommodate both nominal and stressful pointing/tracking scenarios.
