Near-field blockage of an ultralow sidelobe antenna

An analytical model is presented which describes the farfield radiation pattern of an array antenna blocked by a vertical or horizontal metallic cylinder in the near field of the aperture. The implementation of this model as a generalized computer program has been completed, and the computed radiation patterns have been verified by extensive measurements on a low sidelobe -band slotted waveguide array. The effects of the blockage are summarized graphically for a wide range of obstacle sizes and distances, and for aperture illuminations ranging from conventional reflector-type distributions to ultralow sidelobe distributions. Using dielectric or absorptive coatings to improve the radiation pattern in the presence of cylindrical obstacles is proposed as a logical extension to the existing model.