The influence of random variations in the tropospheric refractive index on the focusing of an intense microwave beam from a phased array

摘要

A high-power microwave phased array has to occupy a large area to avoid atmospheric breakdown at the height of 50 km. In traveling from each antenna element to the target, the phase delay of each ray will experience random variations. These are caused by the random variations in the refractive index of the troposphere. As a consequence, the focusing on the target will be degraded. This kind of influence is discussed.