Diffraction of nearly plane 3.2-cm EM waves by 45° and 90° conducting wedges. Comparison with theory

Diffraction of 3.2-cm microwaves has been investigated when and conducting wedges were placed, in turn, in a beam with the diffracting edge on the axis of propagation and 5.5 meters from the apex of a pyramidal horn radiator, and with the beam incident on the forward "bright" surface of each wedge normally, and also at . The incident field was polarized with the electric vector parallel to a diffracting edge. Field patterns for each case out to (24 cm) from an edge have been observed along a line at right angles to the axis of propagation and on seven parallel lines at wavelength intervals further from the source. Comparison of measured intensifies with those calculated with a Bendix G15D computer has been made using asymptotic formulas derived by Pauli. Comparison with values obtained from the exact formula of Macdonald has also been made in a limited region close to a diffracting edge only, since the formula converges very slowly except within some two to three wavelengths distance from the edge. Agreement between experiment and theory is quite good in general in the central region of the field studied. Discrepancies that occur in certain regions have been accounted for.