THE RADAR CROSS SECTION OF AN IONIZED WAKE OF A HYPERSONIC BODY
Abstract
An effort was made to obtain a parametric estimate of the radar cross section of the ionized wake of a hypersonic body as a function of aspect angle, for a wide range of frequencies and values of the physical parameters involved. The solution is expressed as the solution to Maxwell's equations for an inhomogeneous medium. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) The cross section is proportional to the square to the electron density at the origin. (2) The cross section is insensitive to the wake length, except at near broadside view when it varies as the square of the length. (3) The effect of frequency on the cross section is introduced in two ways, by an inverse square relationship and by an exponential to the square of the frequency. Hence the cross section decreases rapidly as frequency increases. (4) For a constant flux of electrons crossing the z O plane, the plasma frequency is inversely proportional to the radar frequency. Hence, the effect of the radar frequency enters through the exponential term only, and the cross section decreases as the radar frequency increases.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 11, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0609512
Entities
People
- C. M. Chu
- D. T. Politis