Spatial Statistics of Instrument-Limited Angular Measurement Errors in Phased Array Radars

摘要

The principal contributors to the random component of the instrument limited angular measurement errors in electronically scanned phased array radars are reviewed and formulas are developed for statistical modeling of these error sources. A comprehensive computer program, embodying this analysis, has been developed for determining these array measurement errors and their spatial correlation statistics, in two angle variables. This program includes the effect of finite computation accuracy in the beam steering computer. The error model employed is valid for space-fed and certain types of corporate-fed arrays. This program is used to evaluate the statistical behavior of angular errors for some typical situations of interest. The use of angle, frequency, and phase 'dithering' for improving the correlation statistics of these arrays is examined. (Author)