A novel retroreflector for use in a polarimetric radar system for precise navigation along a confined waterway is described. The reflector is designed to have a distinctive polarisation signature to differentiate itself from the clutter environment around it. The key attributes of the reflector are its wide angular response (in both azimuth and elevation), passive (i.e. nonpowered) operation, high reflection efficiency, and the ability to modify incident polarisation in the same manner as performed by a dihedral reflector. The design principles and construction of the reflector are described and a geometrical model is used to predict its angular response. Laboratory measurements to support the theory are also included
Summary form only given, as follows. In certain circumstances, it is not possible to improve radar detection performance using conventional radar techniques, i.e. increased power, shorter pulse length, coherence, etc. If the radar polarization characteristics of the target are sufficiently different from those of the surrounding clutter environment, it is possible to improve detection through the use of polarization-domain processing. The polarization state (PS) can be viewed as adding new dimensions to the conventional 1-D echo amplitude normally used for detection. The application of a multidimensional, multichannel distance metric in the amplitude and polarization domains to detect cooperative retroreflectors with distinctive radar polarization characteristics in man-made and natural clutter environments is described. The results are based on real data collected using a partially coherent X-band weather radar system
The paper describes a new radar concept, referred to as polarimetric radar, for providing precise navigation along a confined waterway. The system relies on polarization as the radar discriminant. A passive radar reflector that converts polarization of the incident radar wave from horizontal to vertical is described. The results of preliminary experiments confirm the validity of this new radar concept.
