In radar plotting, which description best defines a ghost?

• A. A weather echo that mimics a target.
• B. A confirmed track with uncertain velocity.
• C. A non-existent echo or false target caused by processing artifacts.
• D. A real target intentionally hidden from the plot.

Answer: (C)

In radar plotting, a ghost is a non-existent echo or false target that appears because of processing artifacts in the radar system. These phantom returns arise when the signal processing chain introduces spurious echoes—things like sidelobe responses from strong targets, clutter suppression artifacts, range or Doppler aliasing, or multipath reflections. The result is a spot on the display that looks like a real object but has no actual target there.

Think of it as a visual artifact rather than a real contact. Other scenarios described—weather echoes mimicking a target, a real track with uncertain velocity, or a real target intentionally hidden from the plot—do not describe ghosts. Weather echoes are real environmental returns; an uncertain-velocity track could be a confusing real target; hiding a real target implies deliberate concealment, not a false echo from processing.