2-BEAM TECHNIQUE FOR TRACKING A TARGET AT LOW ELEVATION ANGLES

A new radar technique for tracking a target at low elevation angles is presented. The key technique is to use two antenna beams in elevation to receive the signals, which consist of returns from both the target and its image, and to compute the target height based on a phase difference between the two beam outputs. Error analyses as well as the derivation of the algorithm of this technique are presented. Computer simulations have been made to determine the target height above flat earth surfaces with reflection coefficients of 1.0 and 0.6. The results show the validity of the algorithm of this technique. A technical comparison with other techniques is also presented.