Abstract

The conversion factors obtained by Goudsmit and Weiss for exploiting backscattering optical data for radar purposes are extended to arbitrary angle, and an optical facility for obtaining the initial data is described. Our semi-automatic, photoelectronic optical scattering range measures intensity as a function of the angle of observation, and is used primarily as an analog computer to facilitate constructing high frequency far-field microwave approximations for complicated scatterers. It consists essentially of a modulated light source at one end of a vertical twelve-foot diam semicircular track and a photomultiplier detector mounted on a carriage traveling around the track; the source illuminates a scatterer at the center of the track, and the intensity of the reflected field is automatically measured and recorded, Results for rapidly rotating large metallic spheres (which served to normalize the system), for metallic and dielectric cylinders (with details of the rainbow caustic for the second case) and for cones, are given and compared with theory.

© 1965 Optical Society of America

Scattered Intensities for Random Distributions—Microwave Data and Optical Applications

C. I. Beard, T. H. Kays, and V. Twersky
Appl. Opt. 4(10) 1299-1315 (1965)

Microwave Scattering by Nonspherical Particles

A. C. Lind, R. T. Wang, and J. M. Greenberg
Appl. Opt. 4(12) 1555-1561 (1965)

Scattering of Microwaves by Dielectric Slabs and Hollow Dielectric Wedges*

G. Tricoles and E. L. Rope
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 55(11) 1479-1498 (1965)

Quasi-optical Methods in Microwave Propagation and Diffraction

L. B. Felsen
Appl. Opt. 4(10) 1217-1228 (1965)

Response Calculations for Light-Scattering Aerosol Counters and Photometers

J. Raymond Hodkinson and Judith R. Greenfield
Appl. Opt. 4(11) 1463-1474 (1965)