A philosophical discussion of the physical limits of radar

Abstract

Any radar setup is limited by the physical properties of the electromagnetic radiation used to gather information about a target. Some of the limits on accuracy are due to the quantum nature of the photons, others due to the limitations of the electronic equipment used to perform the modulations. The techniques used to record the characteristics of the radiation are as important as the method by which that information is analyzed and interpreted. In each stage of the travels of the radiation, from creation and propagation to recording and analysis, the physical properties of the photons involved play a key role in the behavior of the radiation. The techniques by which these properties are modulated, monitored and recorded are also important. In this paper, these topics are discussed and weighed in detail. From this understanding of the flow of information a theoretical apparatus will be constructed that will be capable of recovering a maximum of that information for later use.