Effective Sidelobe Levels Due to Scatterers

The far-field radiation patterns of radar antennas when installed aboard ships may differ substantially from their free-space or theoretical design radiation patterns. We obtain some estimates for the effective sidelobe levels generated by scatterers in the main beam of the antenna by 1) ships and other discrete scatterers in the far field; 2) the sea in the far field; and 3) the ship's own superstructure in the Fresnel region.