A delay compensated Doppler radar altimeter which elimitates the relativedelay curvature associated with the energy reflected by ascatterer (x3, x2, x n) located in the along-track direction of an aerialplatform (10) for which a most accurate estimation of scatterer elevationis desired. By Doppler shifting each return, the range indicated for eachscatterer over its illumination history is equal to the minimumrange x h experienced when the relative velocity between the aerial radar (10)and the ground is effectively zero. Compensating each signalso that its entire along-track history can be used for elevation estimationleads to an advantage of more than 10dB in gain improvementover existing systems, and less degradation from surface topography (13).
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