A Satellite Calibration Method for the Baseline Coordinate and Phase Difference of Distributed Radar Array

Abstract

In the system of distributed radar array system using phase interference angle measurement, the phase center coordinate error of arrays and the phase difference error have relatively large influence on the angle measurement. The phase center position is often inconsistent with physical center position. Thus it is necessary to compensate these errors precisely. Far field radiation sources are often used to calibrate radar in traditional calibration methods. However, it is usually hard to achieve far field radiation sources for distributed radar array with large space between units surveilling space targets. In this paper, a calibration method based on the precise ephemeris of refined orbit satellites without measuring with special instruments is proposed. The phase error caused by coordinate error can be whitened by the precise ephemeris of multiple arcs, and the coordinate and phase difference will be searched out by matching the minimum variance. This method can get the errors easily. The simulation results and actual data verify that angle measurement accuracy gets large improvement by the method.