Statistical density and amplitude tapering

Density tapering can be used to reduce the number of elements, and hence the cost, of an array antenna. Elements, all uniformly weighted, are placed in an aperture so that their density changes with position in proportion to a model amplitude distribution. This model amplitude distribution is one known to give low sidelobes if applied to a continuous aperture. However, a density tapered array only gives low sidelobes if it contains sufficient elements for the change in element density to approximate the shape of the model amplitude distribution. Only larger aperture arrays can achieve this. Statistical density and amplitude tapering have been combined to improve the radiation characteristics of smaller aperture density tapered arrays. The improvement results from a better approximation to the model amplitude distribution, achieved by allowing changes in not only the element density, but also the amplitude weight