A concept for evaluating the performance of wet radomes for phased-array weather radars

A novel analytical method for evaluating the electrical performance of a flat, tilted radome for a dual-polarized phased-array antenna under rain conditions is presented. Attenuation, reflections and induced cross-polarization are evaluated for different rainfall conditions. A new radome model is presented which takes into account the properties of the skin surface, area, inclination, radome structure, and rainfall rate. The radome is modeled as consisting of multiple layers, including a wet layer. Attenuation and propagation effects through the radome are characterized using a transmission line equivalent circuit model. Knowledge of the rainfall rate and surface properties of the radome is used to determine the radome performance. Calculated results are compared with radar data obtained with the NEXRAD and CASA systems, where good agreement between measurements and simulations was found.