High frequency radar cross section of complex objects in real time

Abstract

It is shown that real-time RCS (radar cross section) computation is possible with a high-performance graphics workstation. Physical optics (PO) and physical theory of diffraction (PTD) approximation are computed using the hardware capabilities of a graphics accelerator. Real-time computation is achieved through graphical processing of an image of the target present at the workstation screen. First-order reflections are obtained by rendering the target with a local illumination algorithm, and multiple scattering with a global illumination one. A computer-aided design package for geometric modeling of solids has been used for modeling target geometry. The target is described as a collection of parametric surfaces, defined with two-dimensional NURBS (nonuniform rational B-splines). Parametric surface modeling of the target imposes smaller storage memory and CPU time requirements than the faceting approach, and the modeled surface adjusts more accurately to the real target surface.