Measurements and Calculations of the Millimeter Wavelength RCS of a Top Hat and Bruderhedrals.

Abstract

Polarimetric radar cross sections (RCSs) were measured for a large top hat and three large Bruderhedrals at 35 and 93 GHz. The overall spread in the measured RCSs was 2 dB. It was found that the absolute RCS, as well as the dependence of the RCS on elevation angle, could be significantly altered by a slight misalignment of the target reflector. The calculations of these RCSs by theories and RCS simulation codes based on geometric and physical optics generally agreed with the measurements to within 3 dB. Radar calibrations using these reflectors, which are based on the predictions, are not reliable, however, if accuracy better than 3 dB is required. The measured values of the cross polarization RCS were very small compared to the copolarization ones, consistent with theoretical predictions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADA325523

Entities

People

  • Joseph D. Silverstein
  • Robert Bender

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Calibration
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Cross Polarization
  • Diffraction
  • Elevation
  • Frequency
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Misalignment
  • Orientation (Direction)
  • Polarization
  • Radar
  • Radar Cross Sections
  • Reflectors
  • Scattering
  • Simulations

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electromagnetic Wave Scattering and Antenna Radiation Engineering
  • Radar Systems Engineering.