PART I- RADAR B- Radar Range Equation
Outline
Basic radar range equation 2. Developing the radar range equation 3. Design impacts 4. Receiver sensitivity 5. Radar cross-section Exercises
1.
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1. Basic radar range equation
There are many different versions of the radar range equation. We will use, and fully derive, the one presented below.
Pt G RMax 4 3 (4 ) S min
2 2
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1.1 Components of the equation
Rmax the maximum range of the radar Pt average power of the transmitter G gain of the transmit/receive antenna wavelength of the operating frequency radar cross-section of the target Smin minimum detectable signal power
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1.2 Units of the equation
Pt G RMax 4 3 (4 ) S min
2 2
units of RMax
W m2m2 4 m W
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2. Developing radar range equation
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2.1 Transmitted power
Recall from the previous lecture that the average transmitted power is a function of peak pulse power and the pulse duration:
Pt Pave
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Ppeak Tp
1 , where Tp PRF
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2.2 Power density at target
Recall that power density decreases as a function of distance traveled:
Pt G power density at range R 2 4R
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2.3 Reflected power
The amount of power reflected back from a target is a function of the power density at the target and the targets radar cross-section, :
Pt G power density reflected 2 4R
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2.4 Power density of echo at antenna
The power density of the returned signal, echo, again spreads as it travels back towards the radar receive antenna.
Pt G power density received at antenna 2 4R 4R 2
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2.5 Power of echo at receiver*
The antenna captures only a portion of the echoed power density as a function of the receive antennas effective aperture:
Pt G Pt G 2 2 power at receiver , Pr Ae , 2 4 3 4 (4 ) R (4 ) R
2G recalling that Ae 4
* In this equation the receiver is assumed to be all radar receive chain components except the antenna.
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2.5.1 Relative power received range
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2.6 Minimum detectable signal power
Therefore a radar system is capable of detecting targets as long as the received echo power is greater than or equal to the minimum detectable signal power of the receive chain:
for Pr S min , Rmax
Pt G 22 4 3 (4 ) S min
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3. Radar design impacts
A careful study of the radar range equation provides further insight as to the effect of several radar design decisions. In general the equation tells us that for a radar to have a long range, the transmitter must be high power, the antenna must be large and have high gain, and the receiver must be very sensitive.
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3.1 Power, Pt
Increases in transmitter power yield a surprisingly small increase in radar range, since range increases by the inverse fourth power.
For
example, a doubling of transmitter peak power results increases radar range by only 19%,
2 1.19
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3.2 Time-on-target, /Tp
The average power transmitted can also be increased by increasing the pulse duty cycle, sometimes referred to as the time-on-target. A combined doubling of the pulse width and doubling of the transmitter peak power will give a fourfold increase in average transmitted power, and ~41% increase in radar range.
4
4 1.41
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3.3 Gain, G
Antenna gain is a major consideration in the design of the radar system.
For
a parabolic dish, doubling the antenna size (diameter) will yield a fourfold increase in gain and a doubling of radar range.
For a dish G Ap or ( D / 2) 2 and Rmax 4 G 2 or
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D4
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3.4 Receiver sensitivity, Smin
Similar to that of transmitter power, increases in receiver sensitivity yield relatively small increases in radar range.
Only
19% range increase for a halving of sensitivity, and at the expense of false alarms.
Receiver design is a complex subject: OK Simplistically, the smaller the radar pulse width, the larger the required receiver bandwidth and the larger the receiver noise floor.
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3.4.1 Receiver bandwidth
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3.4.2 Signal-to-noise
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3.4.3 Receiver threshold
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4. Radar cross-section,
The radar cross-section of a target is a measure of its size as seen by a radar, expressed as an area, m2. It is a complex function of the geometric crosssection of the target at the incident angle of the radar signal, as well as the directivity and reflectivity of the target. The RCS is a characteristic of the target, not the radar.
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4.1.1 RCS of a metal plate
Large RCS, but decreases rapidly as the incident angle deviates from the normal.
4a b
2 2
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4.1.2 RCS of a metal sphere
Small RCS, but is independent of incident angle.
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4.1.3 RCS of a metal cylinder
RCS can be quite small or fairly large depending on orientation.
2ra 2
4 r
3 4 2
, as viewed
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, from the end
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4.1.4 RCS of a trihedral corner reflector
The RCS of a trihedral (corner) is both large and relatively independent of incident angle.
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Exercises
Think carefully about the derivation of the radar range equation just presented. Is there a potentially significant loss component missing? Hint: recall the simple link equation from your very early lectures. (Atmospheric loss is not accounted for in this version of the radar range equation. It rather complicates this simple estimate)
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Radar range equation calculation
The US Navy AN/SPS-48 Air Search Radar is a medium-range, three-dimensional (height, range, and bearing) air search radar. Published technical specifications include:
Operating frequency 2900-3100 MHz Transmitter peak power 60-2200 kW PRF 161-1366 Hz, and pulse widths of 9 / 3 sec Phased array antenna with a gain of 38.5 dB
For its published maximum range of 250 miles for a nominal target such as the F-18, what is the receiver chain sensitivity in bBm?
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