Radar Sounder: Cross-Track Polarimetric Selectivity

Inhalt:
The dominant clutter problem that plagues radar sounding is due primarily from scatterers located to the side of the intended nadir locus. Cross-track clutter can be reduced by taking advantage of polarimetric selectivity. The paper highlights two methods, both of which posit a hybrid-polarity radar that transmits circular polarization, and receives coherently orthogonal linear polarizations. Predicted results range from about 3dB to near total suppression, depending on the differential polarimetric backscattering characteristics of the intended features at depth, and of the offending clutter.