EXTENSION OF COMPACT RANGE TEST ZONE BY TAPER COMPENSATION

摘要

This paper presents a method for correcting RCS data obtained from objects extending beyond the boundaries of the test zone into the transition region of a large compact range collimator. The technique, exploiting the non-zero irradiation in the transition regions, uses results of calculated or measured field probes in conjunction with an image-based decomposition of the target angular response to correct for the field taper. The taper correction is developed as a weighting function applied to the spatial distribution with frequency-dependent coefficients derived from the field probes; the corrected RCS response is then obtained by an inverse operation. The paper addresses the conceptual notions of the approach and the limitations inherent to the underlying assumptions. Results of tests on canonical and actual targets are shown to demonstrate the applicability of the technique.