Calibration method of phase distortions for cross polarization channel of instantaneous polarization radar system

A novel polarimetric calibration method for new target property measurement radar system is presented. Its applica- tion in the real radar system is also discussed. The analysis indicates that instantaneous polarization radar （[PR） has inherent cross-polarization measurement error. The proposed method can effectively eliminate this error, and thus enhance the polarization scattering matrix （PSM） measurement precision. The phase error caused by digital receiver＇s direct IF sampling and mixing of two orthogonal polarization channels can be removed. Consequently, the inherent error of target polarization scattering measurement of the instantaneous polarization radar system is well revised. It has good reference value for further ploarimetric calibration and high practical application prospect.

Practical calibration method for instantaneous polarization radar systems utilizing a metal sphere

A practical calibration method is proposed for instantaneous polarization radar systems.The method only needs one measurement by using a metal sphere.The distortions of system and the actual polarization scattering matrix（PSM）of target can be obtained.First,an instantaneous polarization radar system is presented.The system can obtain PSM by a single pulse echo.The dual-polarization antenna can transmit and receive two orthogonal polarization waves.The multilayer micro-strip patch antenna is adopted for this kind of radar system.Second,based on the multi-port network theory,the operation and system errors of instantaneous polarization radar system are analyzed.By making assumption on the cross-talk factors of antenna,distortion matrices of R and Tare derived.Finally,the calibration method based on instantaneous polarization measurement is introduced.Simulation results show the performance of this calibration method.The values of calibrated PSM are in agreement with the actual ones after calibration.

Instantaneous measurement for radar target polarization scattering matrix

Adopting ＂simultaneous transmitting, simultaneous receiving＂ operational scheme, instantaneous polarization radar （IPR） can measure target polarization scattering matrix （PSM） using only once target echoes in two orthogonal polarization channels. Firstly, signal model and signal process are advanced under narrowband condition. Secondly, measurement performances of two typical IPR waveforms are analyzed in detail. At last, field experiments are carried out using X-band IPR system designed by National University of Defense Technology （NUDT）, China. Compared with results obtained by alternative polarization measurement scheme, following results can be obtained： the difference of relative amplitude measurement results is smaller than 2 dB and that of relative phase measurement results is smaller than 10？, verifying the validity of instantaneous polarization measurement scheme.

Instantaneous coherent polarization and coherent polarimetric spectra

The statistics of polarization in electromagnetic waves or target vector has been studied deeply, generally using Stokes parameters. Unfortunately, all the data-processing includes the assumption that the sampling data are independent of time, without a consideration of the time coherence of the polarization data, such as instantaneous Stokes parameters. In this paper, the definitions of the instantaneous coherent polarization function and polarimetric spectrum are presented for the first time, which shows the coherences of the instantaneous Stokes parameters in both time and frequency domain, even in spatial coherence. The new formula of definition can be extended to spatial propagation coherence, both in free space or any linear medium.

Statistical characteristics of the normalized Stokes parameters

The statistical properties of the normalized Stokes parameters in a Gaussian stochastic plane wave field are described in detail. Via the expression of the three normalized Stokes parameters, the mean, variance, and high-order moments are calculated, which simplify C. Brosseau＇s results. The new dispersion, normalized contrast function, skewness, and kurtosis are defined to describe the non-Gaussian distribution characteristics, which can be applied to Gaussian wave fields relating to depolarization of light by a spatially random medium.