AIRBORNE SENSORS.
Abstract
Formulas are developed for the response of an airborne radiometer to the microwave radiation from the atmosphere and the terrain. Corresponding formulas are derived for the response of an airborne radar antenna to the radar return from the earth in the narrow frequency range of operation of the radiometer. Both diffuse and specular areas of the terrain are considered in the theoretical treatments. When operating over the same isothermal diffuse surface of the earth, the theory shows that the deviation of the power output of the radiometer antenna from its time average value is linearly proportional to the negative of the deviation of the radar antenna output from its mean value, provided the relative gain of the radiometer antenna is the square of the relative gain of the radar antenna. Using the developed formulas, the power response of the microwave radiometer and radar are calculated for a simple earth model. The results of the calculations show that the two sensors, using antennas of identical radiation properties, have complementary characteristics. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 16, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0640027
Entities
People
- O. D. Sledge
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory