Radar images of penetrable targets generated from ramp profile functions

Images can be generated for penetrable targets from their scattered fields when the time dependence of the incident electromagnetic (EM) wave takes the form of a ramp function. Previous researchers have developed these concepts for conducting targets. This paper focuses attention on penetrable targets. Ramp response signatures of the targets for cases where the dielectric constant of the target is greater than and also less than that of the ambient medium are included. The latter case can be applied as a signature of antipersonnel mines. The results contained herein are based on: (1) scattering measurements in The Ohio State University ElectroScience Laboratory compact range; (2) scattering computation using an eigenfunction solution and a method of moments solution; and (3) a very limited set of measurements generated from a buried land mine using the ElectroScience Laboratory ground penetrating radar. The targets presented in this paper include metallic and dielectric spheres and actual land mines