Discrimination of scattering mechanisms via polarimetric rcs imaging [measurements corner]

Radar cross section (RCS) images describe position and scattering brightness of scattering centers of a radar target, but lack information about the underlying scattering mechanisms. This information can be valuable help for the design of radar targets, as soon as it becomes available. The proposed method uses a polarimetric approach to detect and discriminate three different scattering mechanisms, independently of the orientation of the scatterers. These mechanisms can be separately visualized for easy interpretation of the physical processes occurring at the radar target. Measurement results recorded in a compact range demonstrated the practical applicability of this approach.