Radar Cross-Section Determination of Dihedral Corner Reflectors by Image-Based Near-Field to Far-Field Transformation

Abstract

In this research internship, we investigate the radar cross-section of two different constellations of dihedral corner reflectors, whereby one arrangement consists of a single dihedral and the second configuration is composed of three dihedral of different sizes. The measurements were conducted at the Microwaves and Radar Institute of the German Aerospace Center in Munich. The basis of determining the radar cross-section is the measured electric field, which is backscattered by the dihedrals, in the frequency range between 75 GHz and 110 GHz. This investigation is used to verify the measurement and processing software of the modernized radar cross-section chamber. The software application, namely a near-field to far-field transformation algorithm, is applied to the backscattered electric field, which is measured in the near-field region of the object. The radar cross-section of the object in the far-field is finally determined through the near-field far-field transformation algorithm.