Part 4/9:
Angular Resolution: Pinpointing Targets in Space
How Radars Detect Position Across Angles
Angular resolution defines the radar's ability to distinguish targets located at different positions along the horizontal plane (azimuth). It's primarily determined by the antenna's beam pattern, specifically the beam width.
Beam Width and Its Impact
The 3dB beam width—the angular width where the power drops to half its maximum—is often used as a measure of angular resolution. A narrower beam allows the radar to discriminate targets separated by smaller angles.
Example Calculation:
For a radar with a beam width of 1°, the maximum distance between two targets at the edge of this beam can be approximated as:
[ d \approx r \times \theta ]
where: