Phase Compensation for Widely-Spaced Antenna Systems Employing Coherent Signal Combinations

This paper describes a technique for providing phase compensation to signals received at widely-spaced antennas and processed at a central location. Self-compensation is provided for pathlength variations in reference-signal distribution systems. The technique may be adapted to include the measurement and compensation of signal-channel phase variations. Practical systems which require this type of compensation include interferometric systems used for position and position-rate measurements of missiles and spacecraft, interferometers and arrays of antennas used for radio and radar astronomy, and arrays of large-aperture antennas used for deep-space communications.