An airborne 95 GHz dual-polarized radar for cloud studies

A 95 GHz dual-polarization radar system was developed and flown on the University of Wyoming King Air research aircraft, from which it measured reflectivity, depolarization, and Doppler-derived velocity mean and standard deviation of a variety of clouds. This paper describes the radar and a data acquisition system that uses commercially available digitizers, signal processors, and signal generators. The authors also describe the tradeoffs between spatial resolution and ability to estimate reflectivity and velocity. This paper presents the first known airborne measurements of clouds made at 95 GHz; these are thought to be the most highly resolved millimeter-wave cloud images made to date. Depolarization, measured in terms of the linear depolarization ratio (LDR), was especially high in the melting band and in regions containing pristine ice crystals. These measurements demonstrate the advantages that high-spatial-resolution airborne millimeter-wave radars offer for the study of cloud microphysical properties     

An ultrafast wide-band millimeter-wave (MMW) polarimetric radar for remote sensing applications

With the advent of high-frequency radio frequency (RF) circuits and components technology, millimeter-wave (MMW) radars are being proposed for a large number of military and civilian applications. Accurate and high-resolution characterization of the polarimetric radar backscatter responses of both clutter and man-made targets at MMW frequencies is essential for the development of radar systems and optimal detection and tracking algorithms. Toward this end, a new design is developed for ultrafast, wide-band, polarimetric, instrumentation radars that operate at 35 and 95 GHz. With this new design, the complete scattering matrix of a target (magnitude and phase) can be measured over a bandwidth of 500 MHz in less than 2 /spl mu/s. In this paper, the design concepts and procedures for the construction and calibration of these radars are described. In addition, the signal processing algorithm and data-acquisition procedure used with the new radars are presented. To demonstrate the accuracy and applicability of the new radars, backscatter measurements of certain points and distributed targets are compared with their analytical radar cross section (RCS) and previously measured /spl sigma//spl deg/ values, respectively, and good agreements are shown. These systems, which can be mounted on a precision gimbal assembly that facilitates their application as high-resolution imaging radar systems, are used to determine the MMW two-way propagation loss of a corn field for different plant moisture conditions.     

Low grazing incidence millimeter-wave scattering models andmeasurements for various road surfaces

Systematic characterization of the scattering behavior of traffic targets, clutter, and their associated interactions are required in order to design and assess the performance of millimeter-wave-based sensors for automated highway system (AHS) applications. In this paper, the polarimetric radar backscatter response of various road surfaces is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. In general, it is found that the overall scattering response of road surfaces is composed of volume and surface scattering components. Previously a hybrid volume scattering model was developed for predicting the backscatter response of smooth asphalt surfaces at millimeter-wave frequencies. There, only the volume scattering was accounted for, however, experimental results show that the surface scattering cannot be ignored when the surface roughness parameters become comparable to the radar wavelength. In this paper, the previous study is extended to include the radar backscatter response of concrete surfaces, snow-covered smooth surfaces, and rough asphalt or concrete surfaces. Radiative transfer (RT) theory is used to model the volume scattering and the integral equation model is used to describe the surface scattering. Asphalt and concrete mixtures are dense random media whose extinction and phase matrices are characterized experimentally. Ice and water over asphalt and concrete surfaces are modeled by homogeneous layers. Fresh snow is modeled by a sparse random medium whose extinction and phase matrices are obtained analytically. The University of Michigan 94-GHz polarimetric radar system was used to perform polarimetric backscatter measurements of the aforementioned road surfaces at near grazing incidence angles (70°-88°). Comparison of the measured and theoretically predicted backscattering coefficients and polarimetric phase difference statistics shows excellent agreement     

Modeling and measurements of scattering from road surfaces atmillimeter-wave frequencies

Millimeter-wave radar-based sensors are being considered for a number of automotive applications including obstacle detection and collision warning, true-speed, and road-surface recognition. The interaction of electromagnetic waves with asphalt road surfaces, possibly covered with ice or water, at millimeter-wave frequencies is studied. First, an experimental procedure for determining the effective dielectric constant of bituminous mixtures used in road-surface constructions is developed. In this procedure, the effective dielectric constant is derived using a simple inverse-scattering algorithm to the measured radar cross sections of cylindrical specimen of a standard asphalt mixture. Then the vector radiative transfer equation is used to formulate the scattering from a multilayer medium representing an ice- or water-covered asphalt surface. The University of Michigan polarimetric 94-GHz radar system was deployed for characterizing the polarimetric backscatter responses of asphalt surfaces under many physical conditions near grazing incidence angles (70°-88°). The measured backscatter coefficients and parameters of copolarized phase difference statistics of a dry asphalt surface with smooth interface at one incidence angle were used to derive the phase and extinction matrices of the asphalt medium. The experimentally determined phase and extinction matrices are substituted in the radiative transfer formulation to predict the scattering from asphalt surfaces under all conditions. Excellent agreement between theoretical predictions and measured quantities is obtained     

Cloud and precipitation remote sensing at 94 GHz

The use of short millimeter-wave Doppler radars for the observation of clouds and precipitation is discussed. Attenuation and scattering (including Mie backscattering by raindrops) of this short-wavelength radiation by hydrometers is discussed as well as the sensitivity of such radars for the observation of clouds     

直升机载毫米波雷达应用及其干扰方法探讨

介绍了毫米波雷达的应用及国外典型先进的直升机载毫米波雷达的现状,同时从毫米波雷达对抗的角度出发,分析了毫米波雷达的无源和有源干扰方法。     

一种极化-多普勒气象雷达的射频干扰滤波方法

为了滤除极化-多普勒气象雷达中的射频干扰,该文提出利用谱极化滤波器,适用于同时发射同时接收(STSR)和分时发射同时接收(ATSR)体制的极化气象雷达。首先利用C波段STSR气象雷达的实测数据研究射频干扰的时域、频域和极化域特性,建立射频干扰信号模型。然后,在X波段ATSR雷达的数据中仿真加入射频干扰,验证谱极化滤波器的有效性。总体看来,在ATSR雷达中利用谱极化滤波器可以有效保留降雨目标并且滤除射频干扰。最后,针对STSR雷达提出利用数据分集的方法,STSR雷达的实测数据可以模拟ATSR雷达数据,再利用谱极化滤波器实现射频干扰滤除,同样可以取得较好的滤波效果。      

Millimeter-wave backscatter measurements on snow-covered terrain

Backscatter measurements of snow-covered terrain have been made using a polarimetric frequency-agile experimental 94-GHz radar. The radar scanned snow surfaces at radar depression angles varying from 15 to 55°. Data collection using the polarimetric and frequency-agile radar along with concurrent detailed snow characterization measurements was performed. Typical results for the temporal and spatial variability of the snow reflectivity are presented and discussed     

雷达目标极化散射特征提取的研究进展

极化雷达可以直接测量出雷达目标的2×2散射矩阵信息，与传统雷达相比，极化雷达的突出优点在于测量数据包含的信息量远大于传统雷达，因而在很多领域都获得了重要应用.本文将对目标极化散射特征提取的发展概况进行综述，包括基于矩阵分解的目标特征参数提取以及直接提取目标极化散射特征的方法等，并对其中存在的问题进行评论，对未来的发展进行展望.     

An ultrawideband, polarimetric radar for the study of sea scatter

An ultrawideband radar system is described which has the capability of making pulse-to-pulse polarimetric measurements of the dynamic water features responsible for radar backscatter from the sea. The fast risetime voltage step produced by a Tektronix time-domain reflectometer (TDR) is used to excite a 6-12-GHz amplifier, producing a short (15 cm) radar pulse, A pair of 2- to 18-GHz antennas and appropriate pulse-to-pulse transmit and receive switching capability allows the collection of four consecutive equivalent-time-sampled pulses, one for each combination of the linear transmit and receive antenna polarizations. A polarimetric scattering matrix is then obtained at a sequence of frequencies across the 6-12-GHz band through the Fourier transform of each of the four waveforms and the application of an ultrawideband, polarimetric calibration procedure. The effect of motion on the computed scattering matrix is discussed and quantified, as this is an important consideration for polarimetric investigations of the water features responsible for radar sea scatter, A technique is then presented which compensates for the effects of target translation during the sampling interval. Scattering measurements of several rigid targets and of small breaking waves in a wave tank are used to illustrate the unique capabilities of this system and its applicability to sea scatter studies     

毫米波雷达自适应门限点云成像方法研究

毫米波雷达作为一种重要的车载传感器,在自动驾驶领域得到了广泛地应用。近年来随着汽车智能化程度的提高,高质量雷达点云的生成受到了人们的极大关注。传统毫米波雷达点云成像由于存在杂波点太多、有效点云稀疏等缺点而限制了其在自动驾驶领域的发展。因此,如何提高毫米波雷达点云密度和质量成为了业界研究的重点问题。近年来,随着多输入多输出（MIMO）技术以及控制多片级联同步技术的成熟,使得毫米波雷达天线的角度分辨率得到了极大提升,推动了毫米波雷达在点云成像上的发展。在此基础上,本文设计了一套完整的毫米波雷达系统级点云成像算法,并使用TI公司的AWR2243级联雷达开发套件对实际场景进行数据采集,生成了较为致密可信的毫米波雷达三维点云图像,基本实现了对车载平台侧面场景的有效还原。      

94 GHz three-dimensional imaging radar sensor for autonomousvehicles

The authors report on using millimeter-wave images for real-time vehicle guidance. For application in the field of autonomous locomotion, the main advantage of this sensor concept is direct access to range and velocity information. System design and imaging results of a multitask 94-GHz pulse Doppler radar with 25-cm radial and 1.5° angular resolution are discussed. To point out specific millimeter-wave scattering phenomena, various radar images of typically structured indoor situations are presented. Extraction of information from sensor data, for example, obstacle detection, is demonstrated by radar image processing     

Measurements of the propagation parameters of tree canopies at MMWfrequencies

The presence of trees in a given scene can hamper detection of nearby targets by millimeter-wave (MMW) radars especially at near grazing incidence. Proper characterization of scattering and attenuation in tree canopies is important for optimal detection algorithms. In this paper, a new technique for determining the extinction and volume backscattering coefficients in tree canopies using the measured radar backscatter response is proposed and verified experimentally. The technique, which can be applied to already available wideband radar backscatter data, is used to compute the extinction and volume backscattering coefficients of different tree canopies under various physical conditions. The dynamic range of these coefficients are presented and results at 35 GHz are compared with results at 95 GHz     

K-band and millimeter-wave MMICs for emerging commercial wirelessapplications

The recent K-band monolithic-microwave integrated-circuit (MMIC) technologies for the local multipoint distribution service systems and novel MMIC technologies for potential low-cost millimeter-wave MMICs are presented in this paper via a review of Fujitsu Quantum Devices Limited technology. The devices being demonstrated are a 23-26-GHz 2-W power amplifier module with a broad-band driver amplifier, a 19-33-GHz miniature low-noise amplifier, a frequency multiplier by four for K-band local oscillators, a flip-chip MMIC module for radar application, and three-dimensional MMIC image-rejection harmonic mixers. Through these devices, the recent trend of design and fabrication methodologies for the K-band and millimeter-wave devices will be described     

92 GHz dual-polarized integrated horn antennas

A dual-polarized two-dimensional imaging array was designed for millimeter-wave applications. The dual-polarized design consists of two dipoles perpendicular to each other and suspended on the same membrane inside a pyramidal cavity etched in silicon. The dual-polarized antenna is fully monolithic with room available for processing electronics. The IF or video signals are taken out through a novel bias and feeding structure. The measured polarization isolation is better than 20 dB at 92 GHz, and the orthogonal channels show identical far-field patterns. The antenna is well suited for millimeter-wave polarimetric synthetic aperture radars (SARs) and high-efficiency balanced-mixer receivers     

Traffic Surveillance System Based on a High-Resolution Radar

Traffic surveillance is an important civilian application of radars. The current high-resolution radars give new opportunities so that the traffic application may be redefined. In this paper, a traffic scenario with a high-resolution radar is presented. A range-bin alignment method, the Global Range Alignment, which comes from the focusing techniques in inverse synthetic aperture radar, is applied to obtain further capabilities than the usual velocity measurement: distinction between vehicle types via length estimation and adequate management in situations with simultaneous targets. Preliminary results from a real scenario using a high-resolution linear frequency-modulated continuous-wave millimeter-wave radar are shown.     

Low phase noise millimeter-wave frequency sources using InP-basedHBT MMIC technology

A family of millimeter-wave sources based on InP heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) monolithic microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology has been developed. These sources include 40-GHz, 46-GHz, 62-GHz MMIC fundamental mode oscillators, and a 95-GHz frequency source module using a 23.8-GHz InP HBT MMIC dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) in conjunction with a GaAs-based high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) MMIC frequency quadrupler and W-band output amplifiers. Good phase noise performance was achieved due to the low 1/f noise of the InP-based HBT devices. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of millimeter-wave sources using InP-based HBT MMIC's     

Radar cross section measurements

The progress in radar cross section measurements is strongly related to the progress in radar technology. The recent acceleration in radar technology and processing techniques has generated a corresponding acceleration in interest for radar cross section measurements. Historically, early radar cross section measurements were performed to determine the detection range of radar systems, a fundamental objective that still exists. Later measurements, coupled with analytic techniques and computer codes, were performed to extend our understanding of the radar scattering process. At the present time, the availability of broad-band electronics, signal processing techniques, and digital technology results in radar cross section measurement programs which are directed toward exploring the performance of operational waveforms and processing, target discrimination, target detectability in clutter, and radar scattering control. The fundamentals of radar cross section measurements are reviewed. Measurement facilities, including the present research activities on compact range techniques, are then described. Instrumentation radars have benefited from both wide-bandwidth electronics and digital processing capabilities; Fourier transform techniques, in particular, provide both additional information on target scattering, and increase measurement accuracy by isolating the target from radar returns from the measurement facility. The frequency coverage has also extended to include millimeter-wave frequencies. Achievable accuracy is important in any measurement program, and those factors that limit the accuracy of radar cross section measurements are discussed.     

极化相控阵雷达技术研究综述

具有极化测量能力的相控阵雷达是世界强国用于导弹防御、空间监视等战略领域的尖端精密雷达,是军用雷达技术竞争的战略制高点。近年来,在精确制导、微波遥感和气象观测等领域也越来越多地出现了极化相控阵雷达,部分雷达系统已成为行业标杆。该文梳理了极化相控阵雷达在各领域的发展历程和系统研制情况,综述了极化测量误差校正、天线方向图重构、极化方向图综合等关乎极化信息精确获取的核心关键技术的研究现状,最后对极化相控阵雷达技术的发展进行了展望。     

Millimeter-wave radar phenomenology of power lines and apolarimetric detection algorithm

The radar phenomenology of high-voltage power lines and cables is studied for examining the feasibility of detecting power lines along the path of a low-flying aircraft using a millimeter-wave radar system. For this purpose, polarimetric backscatter measurements of power line samples of different diameters and strand arrangements were performed over a wide range of incidence angles with very fine increments at 94 GHz. Also, similar polarimetric backscatter measurements were conducted for cylinders of the same radii and lengths as the power line samples for identifying the scattering features caused by the braiding structure of the power lines. In addition, the effects of a thin layer of water and a layer of ice over the power line surface on its polarimetric scattering behavior are studied by repeating the polarimetric backscatter measurements. Based on this phenomenological study, a polarimetric detection algorithm that makes use of the scattering features caused by the braided structure of power lines is proposed. It is shown that the proposed algorithm is capable of detecting power lines in a relatively strong clutter background with a poor signal-to-clutter ratio. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated experimentally using a rough asphalt surface and a vegetation foliage as sample clutter backgrounds