2. Polarimetric Doppler Radar

Basic principles of a polarimetric Doppler radar are described in this chapter. These include formation of the transmitted EM wave by a pulsed radar, reception of the radar signal reflected from a single scatterer, and its transformation in the antenna, microwave assembly, and two receivers for orthogonally polarized components of the backscattered EM wave. Different schemes for transmission/reception (simultaneous or alternate) of the horizontally and vertically polarized EM waves are described. Derivation of the relations between electric fields, voltages, and powers associated with copolar and cross-polar components of the radar returns from a single scatterer is included as well as the definitions of the Doppler and differential phase shifts.