Millimeter Radar Instrumentation for Studying Plasma Effects Associated with Hypersonic Flight

摘要

Millimeter wavelength radars are used to study the plasma effects associated with the ionized flow fields of projectiles launched at hypersonic speeds into a free-flight ballistic range. Two CW doppler radars, which operate at frequencies of 35 and 70 Gc, are used to measure the nose-on backscattering radar cross sections of projectiles during their flight. The design and performance of the two radars, which operate simultaneously through a wire-grid beam splitter, are described in detail. The purpose of this millimeter radar instrumentation is to measure the changes and that occur in the radar cross sections of hypersonic projectiles caused by their highly ionized flow fields.