Estimation of Electromagnetic of Libyan soil Properties by Stepped Frequency Radar

A vector network analyzer was used to measure the electromagnetic properties of two types of Libyan soil. The vector network analyzer was used to act as a stepped frequency ground probing radar. The frequency that was covered is from 1 to 3 GHz. A TEM horn antenna was used for transmission and reception. From the experiments the attenuation and time delay was measured. Then conductivity, permittivity and moisture content were estimated from the measurements. The samples were taken before and after it rained by a week following a long dry season. The experiments gave a reasonable estimation of the parameters and showed that clay retained its moisture for a longer period that sandy soil.