The radar creates an electromagnetic energy pulse which is focused by an antenna and transmitted through the atmosphere. Objects in the path of this electromagnetic pulse, called targets, scatter the electromagnetic energy. Some of that energy is scattered back toward the radar.

The receiving antenna (which is normally also the transmitting antenna) gathers this back-scattered radiation and feeds it to a device called a receiver.

Radars

Terms for using data resources. CD-ROM available. Credits and Acknowledgments for WW2010. Department of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

wave properties