Phase calibration of a radar interferometer by means of incoherent scattering

Abstract

In this paper it is suggested that it is possible to phase calibrate a radar interferometer using a beam-filling scattering process, and the technique is demonstrated using incoherent scattering data from the European Incoherent Scatter Svalbard Radar. Although the coherence due to the beam-filling scattering is very small, its associated phase can be measured to great accuracy with enough integration. The technique can be used by any radar interferometer with sufficient sensitivity in the receiver elements to detect incoherent scattering, possibly after several minutes of integration.