An account is given of the basic principles of radar polarimetry, and various optimization procedures for the propagation (scattering) range operator equation and the received-power expressions are presented and compared. On the basis of a complete description of isolated and distributed scatterers, polarimetric target classification, target vs clutter discrimination, and optimal polarimetric contrast enhancement algorithms are derived; these should be useful in the interpretation of wideband polarimetric data sets obtained with wideband coherent, dual (orthogonal) polarization channel radar systems.

Date Published: 1 May 1992
PDF: 24 pages
Proc. SPIE 1631, Ultrawideband Radar, (1 May 1992); doi: 10.1117/12.59031

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1631:
Ultrawideband Radar
Ivan J. LaHaie, Editor(s)