Polarimetric signatures of two primitives shapes (dihedral and edge) are simulated using high-frequency electromagnetic scattering methods. Signatures are predicted for a variety of orientations of the shapes. Polarimetric responses are analyzed using a polarization scattering matrix decomposition developed by Cameron and Leung (1990, 1992). It is shown that symmetric scatterer responses can be represented as points contained in the unit disc of the complex plane. The simulation shows that the polarimetric responses of the primitive shapes are remarkably stable as the shapes are rotated about various axes.

A summary of the development and verifications of a computer code, RECOTA (return from complex target), developed at Boeing Aerospace for calculating the radar cross section of complex targets is presented. The code utilizes a computer-aided design package for modeling target geometry in terms of facets and wedges. It is based on physical optics, physical theory of diffraction, ray tracing, and semiempirical formulations, and it accounts for shadowing, multiple scattering and discontinuities for monostatic calculations.>