On the Response of a Missile with Exhaust Trail of Tapered Conductivity to a Plane Wave Electromagnetic Field

The current distribution along and scattering cross section of a missile with plume (ionized trail) is found, using numerical techniques when the conductivity of the plume tapers with increasing distance from the exhaust nozzles. In the theory no restrictions are imposed on the length of either the missile or plume, and the variation of conductivity along the entire scattering obstacle may be arbitrary. A model of cylindrical geometry is assumed. Curves for the current distribution along the missile and its ionized trial are presented for several missile and plume lengths at selected frequencies. A table is provided for the scattering cross sections.