Polarization Effects on Direction Finding Accuracy.
Abstract
The results of a systematic investigation of the effects of polarization upon the accuracy of DF systems are presented. Detailed analysis of polarization errors in phase interferometer, amplitude monopulse, and time-of-arrival (TOA) systems was performed. General error expressions for the first two systems and a method of computing the error for specific realizations of the third were obtained. It was found that the sensitivity to polarization errors for the interferometer can be completely described by a single, measurable, parameter of the antenna system. A similar description in terms of three measurable parameters, valid for all but improbable large errors, was obtained for the monopulse. It was found that, under some conditions, polarization effects can cause a statistically predictable time shift that is describable by a parameter of the TOA system. A precise formulation of the properties of a 'randomly' polarized field was developed. Using this formulation, and the descriptive parameters previously defined, the probability distribution of the error due to polarization in a randomly polarized field was computed for the interferometer and monopulse systems. Measurements were performed which verified the theoretical predictions of polarization error for interferometer and monopulse systems. An annotated bibliography is included. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0902604
Entities
People
- Harry L. Blackwell
- Lee A. Morgan
Organizations
- Teledyne Technologies