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Outdoor RCS Measurement Range for Spaceborne SAR Calibration Targets

Döring, Björn and Schwerdt, Marco and Bauer, Robert (2007) Outdoor RCS Measurement Range for Spaceborne SAR Calibration Targets. In: AMTA 2007 Proceedings. Antenna Measurement Techniques Association (AMTA), 2007-11-04 - 2007-11-09, St. Louis, MO, USA.

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Abstract

The Microwaves and Radar Institute regularly performs calibration campaigns for spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems, among which have been X-SAR, SRTM, and ASAR. Tight performance specifications for future spaceborne SAR systems like TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X demand an absolute radiometric accuracy of better than 1 dB. The relative and absolute radiometric calibration of SAR systems depends on reference point targets (i. e. passive corner reflectors and active transponders), which are deployed on ground, with precisely known radar cross section (RCS). An outdoor far-field RCS measurement facility has been designed and an experimental test range has been implemented in Oberpfaffenhofen to precisely measure the RCS of reference targets used in future X-band SAR calibration campaigns. Special attention has been given to the fact that the active calibration targets should be measured under the most realistic conditions, i. e. utilizing chirp impulses (bandwidth up to 500 MHz, pulse duration of 2 µs for a 300 m test range). Tests have been performed to characterize the test range parameters. They include transmit/receive decoupling, background estimation, and two different amplitude calibrations: both direct (calibration with accurately known reference target) and indirect (based on the radar range equation and individual characteristics). Based on an uncertainty analysis, a good agreement between both methods could be found. In this paper, the design details of the RCS measurement facility and the characterizing tests including amplitude calibration will be presented.

Item URL in elib:https://elib.dlr.de/51588/
Document Type:Conference or Workshop Item (Speech, Paper)
Title:Outdoor RCS Measurement Range for Spaceborne SAR Calibration Targets
Authors:
AuthorsInstitution or Email of AuthorsAuthor's ORCID iDORCID Put Code
Döring, BjörnUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Schwerdt, MarcoUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bauer, RobertUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Date:October 2007
Journal or Publication Title:AMTA 2007 Proceedings
Refereed publication:No
Open Access:Yes
Gold Open Access:No
In SCOPUS:No
In ISI Web of Science:No
Status:Published
Keywords:Far-field range, RCS measurement, SAR calibration targets
Event Title:Antenna Measurement Techniques Association (AMTA)
Event Location:St. Louis, MO, USA
Event Type:international Conference
Event Dates:2007-11-04 - 2007-11-09
HGF - Research field:Aeronautics, Space and Transport (old)
HGF - Program:Space (old)
HGF - Program Themes:W EO - Erdbeobachtung
DLR - Research area:Space
DLR - Program:W EO - Erdbeobachtung
DLR - Research theme (Project):W - Projekt TerraSAR-X Kalibration und Projektunterstützung (old)
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen
Institutes and Institutions:Microwaves and Radar Institute > Microwave Systems
Microwaves and Radar Institute
Deposited By: Döring, Björn
Deposited On:13 Feb 2008
Last Modified:31 Jul 2019 19:20

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