Rapid and Accurate High-Resolution Radar Signature Prediction of Sea Targets

High-fidelity predictions of the radar cross sections of ships at sea at X-band and above are complicated by the presence of interactions between the important scattering objects on the ship, with sizes comparable to a few wavelengths, and the larger structures of the ship which are electrically large. Interactions with the ocean surface are also important. Different electromagnetic analysis techniques are required for the small and large structures, and so the use of a single technique will either be computationally prohibitive (in the case of full-wave techniques suited for small structures) or inaccurate (in the case of high-frequency asymptotic solutions for large structures). In the proposed Phase I project, we will use a hybrid technique that combines regions where a full-wave solver is applied with regions where a high-frequency solver is applied, overcoming the limitations of using a single technique for both. This work will build on a previous successful prototype of this basic concept for simpler systems involving only one small object, using Remcom's commercial XFdtd (full-wave) and XGtd (high-frequency) EM analysis software. After feasibility is demonstrated in Phase I, the prototype hybrid solver will be developed into a commercial product in Phase II.