Radar Cross Section

The Radar Cross Section page enables you to define 2D contour graphics for the desired frequency.

Select Show to display RCS contour graphics in the 2D Graphics window and set the following options.

Frequency

Specify the frequency of interest. The properties for the RCS band containing the frequency of interest is used to compute RCS contours in the 2D Graphics window.

Polarization

Choose Primary for RCS real pattern type channels and Orthogonal for RCS complex pattern type channels.

Show at Altitude

Displays the RCS contour at the specified altitude above the Earth.

Relative to Maximum

If selected, RCS contour level values are assumed to be relative to the maximum value. For example, if the maximum RCS value is 30 dBsm, a contour value of -5 would plot a 25 dBsm contour line.

Defining RCS bands for display in the 2D and 3D Graphics windows requires several steps:

Level Adding

Use to define the number and type of contour levels to be displayed. Select an Add Method and enter the information appropriate to that method:

Method	Procedure
Start, Stop, Step	Enter a Start contour value, a Stop value, and a Step value. Use the Add Level button to generate contour values beginning with the Start value and incrementing by the Step specified until the Stop value is reached or exceeded.
Explicit	Enter individual contour values. Use the Add Level button to add the new contour value to the list of existing contour values.

Level Labels

Attribute	Description
Show	Displays contour level values.
Number of Decimal Digits	The number of digits that will be displayed to the right of the decimal point in the contour level values.

Level Attributes

Each contour value has graphics attributes that can be set individually or collectively or, in the case of color, assigned automatically according to a pattern:

Contour level attributes

Attribute	Description
Color Method	Defines the color method: Explicit. Enables you to assign colors individually to contour levels. Color Ramp. Applies a spectrum pattern with selected start and end colors.
Start Color/End Color	The start and end colors for the spectrum. Applicable only to the Color Ramp method. The Start Color corresponds to the first Level value under Level Attributes.
Line Style	Line style for the highlighted contour level. The selected line style displays in both the 2D Graphics and 3D Graphics windows.
Line Width	Line width to be used for all contours drawn in the 2D Graphics window.

You can delete a contour level from the list by highlighting it and clicking Remove.

Animation performance may degrade as additional points and lines are drawn to complete the contours.

Theta and Rho

The RCS values are computed in the object's coordinate system for Theta and Rho values in the user-defined ranges. In the coordinate system, Theta is defined as the rotation about the Z axis, and Rho is defined as the angle off of the Z axis.

For descriptions and detailed diagrams of the RCS Theta and Rho angles, click here.

Parameter	Description
Set Theta and Rho Resolution together	Select to set the Theta and Rho resolution together. Changes made to Theta Resolution and Points fields are applied to the Rho fields.
Resolution	Enter a value > 0 and <= 30 deg (or the equivalent in another angle unit). This value is the Theta/Rho angular resolution.
Points	Define resolution as the number of points in the selected range. The Theta or Rho Resolution field is updated to a calculated value based on dividing the range by the number of points.
Start / Stop	Define the range of Theta and Rho values.