Discrimination of Parallel and Perpendicular Insects Based on Relative Phase of Scattering Matrix Eigenvalues

Current vertical-beam entomological radars record the polarization direction corresponding to the maximal ventral-aspect radar cross section (RCS) as the insect's orientation. For so-called “parallel” insects, this direction is indeed their orientation; but for “perpendicular” insects, it is at right angles to the orientation. Current entomological radars cannot discriminate the parallel and perpendicular cases. This article shows here that discrimination is possible using the relative phase of the scattering matrix (SM) eigenvalues. Multifrequency fully polarimetric ventral aspect SM measurements of 80 insect specimens of 12 species have been made in a microwave anechoic chamber. The relationship of the polarization direction corresponding to the maximal RCS and the radar frequency has been analyzed, and from these results a method of discriminating parallel and perpendicular insects, based on the relative phase of the SM eigenvalues, is proposed. The method is applicable to X- and Ku-band observations, with a high correct-identification rate, and can be used with both fully polarimetric entomological radars and coherent rotating-polarization units, but not with the noncoherent rotating-polarization configuration used in traditional vertical-looking radars (VLRs). Finally, the performance of the method is discussed, and it is found that it has better performance for middle and large insects at X-band and small and middle insects at Ku-band.