Assessment of specular radar backscatter from a planar surface using a physical optics approach

作者：Yurchak Boris S^*

来源：International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2012, 33(20): 6446-6458.

DOI：10.1080/01431161.2012.689116

Satellite and airborne radar altimeter return signals often contain the specular component primarily in polar regions due to the backscatter from a relatively smooth and planar water or ice surface. It is demonstrated here that the specular backscatter from a planar surface should be estimated taking into account the spherical nature of the incident electromagnetic wave. This article introduces the radar equation derived using the physical optics approach and describes the backscatter as a function of the spatial distribution of the complex Fresnel reflection coefficient across a planar surface. The closed form of the radar equation was obtained for an infinite surface, an annulus and a disk with sizes greater than the radius of the first Fresnel zone.

• 出版日期2012