Aperture Efficiency of Active and Passive Radar Targets in Cluttered Environments

Simon Heining; Reinhard Feger; Christoph Wagner; Andreas Stelzer

doi:10.23919/GeMiC64734.2025.10979005

Aperture Efficiency of Active and Passive Radar Targets in Cluttered Environments

Simon Heining^*
, Reinhard Feger^*
, Christoph Wagner^*
, Andreas Stelzer^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Institute for Communications Engineering and RF-Systems

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceedings › peer-review

Abstract

Calibration and verification of radar systems usually requires well defined targets to calibrate and to evaluate the system capabilities. This paper compares active and passive radar reflectors and their field of application. Theoretical considerations regarding the aperture efficiency are made and compared over frequency. Wavelength and radial resolution are found to be a key factor for surrounding clutter levels. It is shown that for single-digit GHz, active reflectors have advantages compared to passive structures. In contrast, passive targets can be better suited for higher frequencies that are used in automotive bands due to technical simplicity and sufficient radar-cross-section.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC)
Publisher	IEEE
Pages	642-645
Number of pages	4
Edition	1
ISBN (Electronic)	9783982039749
ISBN (Print)	979-8-3315-2179-0
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.23919/GeMiC64734.2025.10979005
Publication status	Published - 19 Mar 2025
Event	2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC) - Dresden, Germany Duration: 17 Mar 2025 → 19 Mar 2025

Publication series

Name	2025 16th German Microwave Conference, GeMiC 2025

Conference

Conference	2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC)
Period	17.03.2025 → 19.03.2025

Fields of science

202033 Radar technology
202019 High frequency engineering
202 Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Information Engineering
202038 Telecommunications
202037 Signal processing
202030 Communication engineering
202029 Microwave engineering

JKU Focus areas

Digital Transformation

Access to Document

10.23919/GeMiC64734.2025.10979005

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10979005

Cite this

@inproceedings{a3d6d142e18047fa93b742b2fab2d010,

title = "Aperture Efficiency of Active and Passive Radar Targets in Cluttered Environments",

abstract = "Calibration and verification of radar systems usually requires well defined targets to calibrate and to evaluate the system capabilities. This paper compares active and passive radar reflectors and their field of application. Theoretical considerations regarding the aperture efficiency are made and compared over frequency. Wavelength and radial resolution are found to be a key factor for surrounding clutter levels. It is shown that for single-digit GHz, active reflectors have advantages compared to passive structures. In contrast, passive targets can be better suited for higher frequencies that are used in automotive bands due to technical simplicity and sufficient radar-cross-section.",

keywords = "Radio frequency, Passive radar, Radar cross-sections, Frequency modulation, Radar clutter, Apertures, Radar antennas, Calibration, Clutter, Vehicle dynamics",

author = "Simon Heining and Reinhard Feger and Christoph Wagner and Andreas Stelzer",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

day = "19",

doi = "10.23919/GeMiC64734.2025.10979005",

language = "English",

isbn = "979-8-3315-2179-0",

series = "2025 16th German Microwave Conference, GeMiC 2025",

publisher = "IEEE",

pages = "642--645",

booktitle = "2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC)",

edition = "1",

note = "2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC) ; Conference date: 17-03-2025 Through 19-03-2025",

}

Heining, S , Feger, R, Wagner, C & Stelzer, A 2025, Aperture Efficiency of Active and Passive Radar Targets in Cluttered Environments. in 2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC). 1 edn, 10979005, 2025 16th German Microwave Conference, GeMiC 2025, IEEE, pp. 642-645, 2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC), 17.03.2025. https://doi.org/10.23919/GeMiC64734.2025.10979005

Aperture Efficiency of Active and Passive Radar Targets in Cluttered Environments. / Heining, Simon ; Feger, Reinhard; Wagner, Christoph et al.
2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC). 1. ed. IEEE, 2025. p. 642-645 10979005 (2025 16th German Microwave Conference, GeMiC 2025).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceedings › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Aperture Efficiency of Active and Passive Radar Targets in Cluttered Environments

AU - Heining, Simon

AU - Feger, Reinhard

AU - Wagner, Christoph

AU - Stelzer, Andreas

PY - 2025/3/19

Y1 - 2025/3/19

N2 - Calibration and verification of radar systems usually requires well defined targets to calibrate and to evaluate the system capabilities. This paper compares active and passive radar reflectors and their field of application. Theoretical considerations regarding the aperture efficiency are made and compared over frequency. Wavelength and radial resolution are found to be a key factor for surrounding clutter levels. It is shown that for single-digit GHz, active reflectors have advantages compared to passive structures. In contrast, passive targets can be better suited for higher frequencies that are used in automotive bands due to technical simplicity and sufficient radar-cross-section.

AB - Calibration and verification of radar systems usually requires well defined targets to calibrate and to evaluate the system capabilities. This paper compares active and passive radar reflectors and their field of application. Theoretical considerations regarding the aperture efficiency are made and compared over frequency. Wavelength and radial resolution are found to be a key factor for surrounding clutter levels. It is shown that for single-digit GHz, active reflectors have advantages compared to passive structures. In contrast, passive targets can be better suited for higher frequencies that are used in automotive bands due to technical simplicity and sufficient radar-cross-section.

KW - Radio frequency

KW - Passive radar

KW - Radar cross-sections

KW - Frequency modulation

KW - Radar clutter

KW - Apertures

KW - Radar antennas

KW - Calibration

KW - Clutter

KW - Vehicle dynamics

UR - https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10979005/

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105007153073

U2 - 10.23919/GeMiC64734.2025.10979005

DO - 10.23919/GeMiC64734.2025.10979005

M3 - Conference proceedings

SN - 979-8-3315-2179-0

T3 - 2025 16th German Microwave Conference, GeMiC 2025

SP - 642

EP - 645

BT - 2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC)

PB - IEEE

T2 - 2025 16th German Microwave Conference (GeMiC)

Y2 - 17 March 2025 through 19 March 2025

ER -

Aperture Efficiency of Active and Passive Radar Targets in Cluttered Environments

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Fields of science

JKU Focus areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

JKU LIT - SAL Intelligent Wireless Systems Lab (IWS Lab)

Cite this

Aperture Efficiency of Active and Passive Radar Targets in Cluttered Environments

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Fields of science

JKU Focus areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

JKU LIT - SAL Intelligent Wireless Systems Lab (IWS Lab)

Cite this