A Kirchhoff Integral Approach to Radar Propagation Modelling and its Application to the Estimation of Clutter

Anomalous propagation, such as that experienced in evaporative ducts, can have a marked effect upon microwave radar clutter. Not only is the clutter strength affected by a change in propagation losses, but the backscatter coefficient is affected through the dependence of grazing angle upon propagation conditions. It is shown that a Kirchhoff integral approach to anomalous propagation can provide an effect means of calculating both propagation loss and grazing angle, hence providing a useful tool for clutter calculations.