Methodologies for Accurate Assessment of Target Characteristics

The physics-based scattering phenomena from MDA objects of interest can be very complex and occur in many different forms such as: specular reflection, creeping waves, traveling waves, slow moving surface waves, edge diffraction, singular currents at surface discontinuities, resonating gaps and cavities, and general material response. While in vacuum Maxwell"s equations representing the coupling between electric and magnetic fields are linear, it is still a formidable challenge to be able to accurately simulate the various scattering phenomena. The scope of this proposed Phase II effort is to exploit the research initiatives undertaken by HyPerComp in the Phase I contract HQ0147-12-C-7921 to significantly advance the state of the art and practice in physics-based radar signature prediction methods for MDA objects of interest. The intent is to further develop, implement, validate and disseminate some of the emerging revolutionary and novel technologies in reduced order-basis methods (RBM), uncertainty estimations for signature sensitivity arising from object variability and input field parameters, and high-order algorithms that are well suited for high performance GPU parallel computing. The goal is to achieve significant reduction in computational run times from the current state of practice to perform accurate physics-based full-wave broadband solutions for complex MDA objects of interest at the end of this proposed two year Phase II effort.