The gridded trihedral: a new polarimetric SAR calibration reflector

Author

Sheen, Dan R. ; Johansen, Elmer L. ; Elenbogen, Linda P. ; Kasischke, Eric S.

Author_Institution

Environ. Res. Inst. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

30

Issue

6

fYear

1992

fDate

11/1/1992 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1149

Lastpage

1153

Abstract

The characteristics of the gridded trihedral used to calibrate polarimetric synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) systems are considered. The gridded trihedral is a normal trihedral with one of the conducting faces replaced with a grid of closely spaced (relative to a wavelength) parallel conductors over a layer of microwave absorber. This grid changes the incident wave´s polarization and results in a calibration target with a significant cross-polarized reflection. The advantages of the gridded trihedral are that it has a broad backscatter beamwidth (unlike the dihedral), and that it is passive and simple to construct (unlike the active radar calibrator, or ARC). The performance characteristics of the gridded trihedral reflector are reviewed, using basic theoretical models and calibrated P-3 SAR imagery

Keywords

calibration; microwave measurement; polarimetry; radar antennas; reflector antennas; synthetic aperture radar; P-3 SAR imagery; SAR; backscatter; calibration target; cross-polarized reflection; gridded trihedral; microwave absorber; polarimetric synthetic-aperture radar; Backscatter; Calibration; Conductors; Focusing; Navigation; Optical reflection; Polarization; Radar antennas; Radar polarimetry; Synthetic aperture radar;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0196-2892

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/36.193791

Filename

193791