<p>Laser vibration sensing can be used to classify military targets by its unique vibration signature. A coherent laser radar receives the target´s rapidly oscillating surface vibrations and by using proper demodulation and Doppler technique, stationary, radially moving and even accelerating targets can be taken care of. </p><p>A frequency demodulation method developed at the former FOA, is for the first time validated against real data with turbulence, scattering, rain etc. The issue is to find a robust and reliable system for target recognition and its performance is therefore compared with some frequency distribution methods. The time frequency distributions have got a crucial drawback, they are affected by interference between the frequency and amplitude modulated multicomponent signals. The system requirements are believed to be fulfilled by combining the FOA method with the new statistical method proposed here, the combination being suggested as aimpoint for future investigations.</p>

Laser vibration sensing can be used to classify military targets by its unique vibration signature. A coherent laser radar receives the target´s rapidly oscillating surface vibrations and by using proper demodulation and Doppler technique, stationary, radially moving and even accelerating targets can be taken care of. A frequency demodulation method developed at the former FOA, is for the first time validated against real data with turbulence, scattering, rain etc. The issue is to find a robust and reliable system for target recognition and its performance is therefore compared with some frequency distribution methods. The time frequency distributions have got a crucial drawback, they are affected by interference between the frequency and amplitude modulated multicomponent signals. The system requirements are believed to be fulfilled by combining the FOA method with the new statistical method proposed here, the combination being suggested as aimpoint for future investigations.