What are monostatic and bistatic RCs?
Monostatic RCs (radar cross section) refer to the measurement of an object’s ability to reflect radar signals back to the radar receiver when the transmitter and receiver are co-located at the same position. In monostatic radar systems, the radar emits a pulse or continuous wave signal, and the same antenna is used to transmit the signal and receive reflected echoes from targets. The RCS measured in monostatic radar configuration provides a direct assessment of the effectiveness of the object reflecting radar signals back to the radar system from a specific angle of incidence.
Bistatic RCs, on the other hand, refer to measuring the radar reflectivity of an object when the transmitter and receiver are located at separate positions. In bistatic radar systems, the transmitter and receiver antennas are spatially separated, with the transmitter’s radar signals and the receiver’s detection echoes reflected from the targets. Bistatic RCS measurements take into account the geometric configuration between the transmitting and receiving antennas and the target, influencing how radar signals are reflected and received. Bistatic RCS measurements provide insight into how an object reflects radar signals from different angles and perspectives, potentially revealing aspects of the object’s radar signature that may not be apparent in monostatic RCS measurements.
The difference between bistatic and monostatic RCs mainly lies in the configuration of the radar system and the spatial relationship between the transmitting and receiving antennas. In monostatic RCS measurements, the radar system uses a single antenna for transmission and reception, with the antenna located at a fixed position relative to the target. This configuration provides a simple assessment of the object’s radar reflectivity from a specific incident angle determined by the antenna orientation.
In contrast, bistatic RCS measurements involve distinct transmit and receive antennas positioned at different locations. Spatial separation between antennas affects how radar signals are incident and reflected from the target, influencing the RCs observed by the radar system. Bistatic RCS measurements consider the angles and distances between the transmission, antennas and target, providing additional information about the object’s radar reflectivity from various perspectives. This configuration allows bistatic radar systems to detect and characterize targets with varying radar signatures more effectively than monostatic radar systems in certain scenarios.
Monostatic radar refers to a radar system configuration where the transmitter and receiver are co-located at the same position or share the same antenna for transmitting and receiving radar signals. In monostatic radar systems, the radar emits a pulse or continuous wave signal toward a target, and the same antenna collects echoes reflected from the target. Monostatic radar systems are commonly used in various applications including air traffic control, weather monitoring, surveillance and military operations, where simple transmission of radar signal, reception and target detection from one location fixed are essential.
Bistatic radar, on the other hand, refers to a radar system configuration where the transmitter and receiver antennas are located at separate positions. In bistatic radar systems, the transmitter transmits radar signals toward the target, and the receiver antenna detects echoes reflected from the target at a different location. Bistatic radar systems offer benefits such as improved stealth detection, resilience to electronic countermeasures, and potentially improved target detection capabilities using different illumination and reception angles. Bistatic radar finds applications in military surveillance, stealth technology development, and air and maritime traffic surveillance, where spatial diversity and flexibility of antenna placement are advantageous.