Layered soil effects on Vivaldi antenna as wide-band radar receiver

This paper characterizes the Vivaldi antenna as the receiver in a synchronous impulse reconstruction (SIRE) radar system. In particular, the effects of layered soil which typically exists in a battle field environment are taken into account. Using the full-wave simulation package FEKO, the Vivaldi antenna model along with an infinite planar layered soil structure is analyzed. The general difference between the radiation patterns of the Vivaldi antenna under the influence of soil and those in free space is summarized. The observations may serve at the radar system design stage as the base for the development of smart control capability adapted to the environment.