Scattering Centers Induced by Creeping Waves on Cone-Shaped Targets in Bistatic Mode

Abstract

The scattering center induced by creeping waves on cone-shaped targets in bistatic mode is investigated in this communication. This scattering center shows significant signatures in bistatic radar images, and could be classified as a distributed scattering center, i.e., this scattering center can only be observed at narrow aspect looks, and with a certain length of distribution. The relations of the distribution and the observable aspect looks with the factors, such as the bistatic angle, the orientations of target relative to radar, and the geometry of the target, are derived in this communication. The analytical conclusions about the scattering center have been well validated by the scattered field characteristics, the image signatures in the time-frequency representations, and the range profiles of radar echoes from the target. As an important scattering feature of cone-shaped targets, an approach using this scattering center to extract motion and geometric parameters has been further explored; the performance of this approach are validated by simulations. To assure the accuracy and reliability of simulations, scattered field data in simulations are computed by the well-validated full-wave numerical method (FE-BI-MLFMA).