Radar Cross Sections of Distributed Targets Low Over Water in the Presence of Multipath Reflections

Abstract

The radar cross section (RCS) of 667 reflectors displayed in a 1-m-high array directly above the sea surface is calculated with multipath present and low grazing angles vs range. The RCS is calculated for the array vertical, and tilted 3.38 degrees and 15 degrees from vertical. The results are compared with the RCS that would have been seen in free space. Graphs of the specular reflection coefficient vs sea wave height for 3, 10, and 35 GHz, with grazing angles as parameter, are included. A method to calculate the free space RCS of a target if the radar response vs range is known in a multipath environment is described. If the reflector has a rough surface (maximum peaks >/- lambda/4) for the geometry considered, the RCS for full multipath is fairly constant for ranges above 1 km, and 5 to 10 dB above the RCS without multipath, i.e., free space.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 16, 2001
Accession Number
ADA397738

Entities

People

  • Dieter R. Lohrmann

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Electronic Warfare

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arrays
  • Aspect Angle
  • Coefficients
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Environment
  • Geometry
  • Grazing
  • Grazing Angles
  • Information Operations
  • Linear Arrays
  • Military Research
  • Radar
  • Radar Cross Sections
  • Reflection
  • Reflectors
  • Sea Level
  • Specular Reflection

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

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

Technology Areas

  • Space