Temporal evolution of the RCS of aircraft wake vortices

Knowledge of the radar scattering characteristics is one of the key issues for the development of wake vortex detection technology. This paper studies the temporal evolution of the RCS (radar cross-section) of wake vortices. The RCS–time plot is observed to increase as a whole and step at a certain time. These properties could provide help to the design of wake vortex detection radar and the optimization of radar station layout. The special spiral structures within the wake, together with the Bragg scattering theory, are used to well explain these phenomena, and some representative radar experiments are also included to verify them.