On the solution of a class of large body problems with partial circular symmetry (multiple asymmetries) by using a hybrid-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method

This paper presents an efficient method to solve a large body scattering problem, viz. a paraboloid reflector antenna system, with only partial circular symmetry. The asymmetry in the system is introduced by two factors, viz. the microstrip feed and an inhomogeneous radome. The paper presents a novel approach, based on the equivalence and reciprocity principles and the "equivalent" aperture theory, to overcome the asymmetry problem. The technique thereby enables substantial computational efficiencies by analyzing the majority of the three-dimensional (3-D) computational domain in an effective two-dimensional (2-D) simulation, with the remainder being analyzed using a 3-D algorithm.