PWE-Based Radar Equation to Predict Backscattering of Millimeter-Wave in a Sand and Dust Storm

A parabolic wave equation-based radar equation is proposed to compute the backscattered power of millimeter-wave in a sand and dust storm, in which the height profiles of particle-size distribution and total number density are accounted for. The conventional radar equation is also improved by incorporating the effects of earth curvature and beam divergence. The improvement of accuracy by using these two radar equations, especially when the specific attenuation is a function of height, is verified by simulations.