Multi-Feed-Per-Beam Antenna Concept for High-Performance Passive Microwave Radiometers
10 m reflector antenna for a conicalscan passive microwave radiometer in C band is proposed.
The reflector is an offset paraboloid in light mesh technology excited in a multi-feed-perbeam configuration, so far never used in Earth observation missions. The instrument achieves 10 km footprint and 0.5 K radiometric accuracy at less than 10 km from the coast and sea ice boundary.
The size and element spacing of the required feed array, and the benefits of the feed array in controlling the unwanted effects of the grating lobes generated by the triangular mesh, are shown.
These results show the great advantages given by multifeed-per-beam technology with digital beamforming for future spaceborne passive microwave radiometers for ocean observation.
Publication: 39th ESA Antenna Workshop
Place: ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
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