Quasi-Monostatic Antenna Displacement in Radar Target Simulation

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the impact of quasi-monostatic antenna displacement in radar target simulators on angle estimation accuracy, providing mathematical insights and experimental verification to improve RTS system design.

Contribution

It offers a detailed analytical study of antenna displacement effects in RTS, supported by measurements, to enhance setup accuracy for angle simulation.

Findings

Displacement causes measurable angle estimation errors

Mathematical models accurately predict displacement effects

Experimental results confirm theoretical analysis

Abstract

Radar target simulators (RTS) have recently drawn much attention in research and commercial development, as they are capable of performing over-the-air validation tests under laboratory conditions by generating virtual radar echoes that are perceived as targets by a radar under test (RuT). The estimated angle of arrival (AoA) of such a virtual target is determined by the physical position of the particular RTS channel that creates it, which must therefore be considered when planning the setup. A single channel employs two antennas, one for the reception and the other for the re-transmission of the incoming radar signal. The antennas are positioned close together, but still spatially separated, thus an RTS channel can be considered quasi-monostatic, which causes non-negligible inaccuracies in the angle simulation. In this paper, the authors examine the analytical implications of this systemic deficiency on the angle estimation, which provides support for the design and setup of angle-simulating RTS systems. The mathematical derivations developed are verified by measurement.